Hailstones pelted down and stooped pedestrians battled for balance in the 50 mile-per-hour winds.

This is Glasgow, where most residents joke you can see all four seasons in one day. It is not an obvious choice for Jewish students who usually head to campuses in Nottingham, Leeds and Birmingham.

Yet the past few years have seen the Jewish societies at universities in Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews grow slowly but steadily, turning them into active hubs of Jewish campus life.

No doubt this is in part due to the 2011 Scottish Parliament decision to abolish university fees for Scottish students learning in the country - an attractive offer considering the £9,000 fees to be paid in England.

Communal leaders hope that the increasing tendency for teenagers to stay close to home might be an opportunity to bolster Scottish Jews. Getting them to stay after graduating remains a key target.

There are now regular social and charity events run by JSoc

Glasgow JSoc treasurer Louis Faber, one of a growing number of Scots in the society, grew up in the city's community. He explained: "I didn't see a reason to move away. I was going to a great engineering school and £9,000 was not worth it, especially when you get free tuition. I also see myself as the connection between the community and the JSoc.

"Being in Glasgow you also have Jews that can be supportive, financially and communally. I think that's quite positive," said the University of Strathclyde engineering student.

In Glasgow, Jewish students from the city's four universities belong to one JSoc, with around 20 active members.

Mr Faber, a fourth year student, said the activity of the JSoc had increased hugely since his first year, when there had been a Friday night dinner just once a year. Now there are regular social and charity events.

Walking around the Glasgow University campus, one of the university's major attributes is clear. The campus is visually stunning and is home to more than 100 listed buildings. The main building quadrangle is all turrets and archways, accurately described by the students as reminiscent of Harry Potter's Hogwarts.

Jewish students do not have their own social room or Hillel House, but there is a shared interfaith area which is often booked for JSoc's weekly bagel lunches with the chaplain. Rabbi Yossi Bodenheim is based in Glasgow and serves Jewish students across the country.

Edinburgh JSoc has also seen growth. After some upheaval last year and the sudden departure of the society's chairperson, the group's regular numbers have risen from 20 to 30.

Although there are no kosher shops in the capital, there are some supplies in the leading supermarket chains. Regular deliveries arrive from Glasgow.

St Andrews JSoc is the third biggest in Scotland, with between 10 and 25 students attending most events. Its former president Joel Salmon came a close second in the UJS presidential election at the end of 2015.

The three JSocs are organising a joint Shabbaton later this month, inviting students from nearby JSocs in the north of England to participate. Around 50 are expected to attend.

Against this growth, dark spots remain. There have been serious anti-Israel episodes on each campus. In response, students in Edinburgh and Glasgow have set up new Israel societies.

Glasgow JSoc social secretary Lily Keisler has experienced anti-Israel hostility on campus, and recalled how protesters stood outside the main building when former Israeli ambassador Daniel Taub came to speak.

While the society has got stronger, she admits that its continuing success is far from guaranteed. Ms Keisler explained: "We are doing very well now, but several key members are leaving at the end of this year. We want to keep the momentum going, but need to have the members who are willing to do that.

"It's a pivotal point where it could go either way. It's uncertain. Last year we didn't have enough people to hold a proper election."

Mr Faber, 21, added: "A lot of my friends went down to England because that was the most important thing for them, having this Jewish connection on campus.

"The question is how do we make Glasgow JSoc more attractive for home-grown, Scottish students?"

He added that the issue of feeling safe on campus could be a concern for potential students and said that they needed better assurances from the universities and community that safety was a priority.

Mr Faber admitted he would probably leave Scotland after graduating because of better job opportunities in England.

Glasgow Jewish Representative Council president Paul Morron is positive about the future and the potential for Jewish students north of the border.

"Students like Scotland. They have a very good time. Quite a lot of them say if there were economic opportunities they would love to stay on," he said.

Students benefit from support provided by the community, including financial assistance. Mr Morron estimates that the rep council has contributed hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years.

Additionally the group will intervene with university authorities to tackle antisemitic or anti-Israel incidents and "put the full weight of the Glasgow Jewish community" behind them. Mr Morron admitted the lack of graduate jobs was the biggest obstacle to getting Jewish graduates to stay.

To help, the rep council would provide information on educational opportunities, communal jobs and other employment opportunities, he said.

"The local authority here has agreed to link their social enterprises opportunities. They are very keen to work with us to help to increase the Jewish population on the whole," Mr Morron said.

Enticing young Jews to stay would help slow the decline of the community as well, Mr Morron believes. Other initiatives are helping to stabilise numbers: better engagement with the Israeli community, and the upcoming development of a new site for the Jewish primary school in Newton Mearns - at the heart of Glasgow's community.

"I'm very confident about the future and I have every right to be," he said. "I think people feel we are quite a welcoming community. Scotland is also a beautiful place, it's a great place to live - as long as you take an umbrella."