Jewish Tartan

[gilmore]

I am posting the photo referred to above of the Jewish Lads Brigade band:



For those who wish to wear a Jewish-related kilt, I haven't seen a more authentic option with deeper historical roots, within the context of kilts as worn by Scots. The band's kilts appear to be of a solid color, not tartan, in the photo, and since it's in black and white, unfortunately we can't see what color that is, but they are dark (or read dark in B&W.) Could they be Black Watch?

The lengths of the kilts are interesting. Some come below the knee, while others are at least two to three inches or more above it.

[gilmore]

"A parade celebrating the opening of the Jewish Scout Hall in Queen's Drive, Sunday 1 June, 1958.

The Jewish community on the South Side of Glasgow had put a great deal of time and effort into raising funds for the 93rd (Norman) Boy Scout Group's new scout hall and organised a great celebration for its opening. Scouts, guides, brownies and cubs took part in the parade. There was also a service at Langside Synagogue in Niddrie Road before the Colour Party and Officiants proceeded to the new hall, followed by the congregation. A mezuzah was affixed to the hall entrance and the hall itself consecrated, before being officially opened. A reception followed, with speeches given on behalf of the Scout Movement, Glasgow Corporation (which had donated the land) and the Parents and Finance Committee."



"The opening of the Jewish Scout Hall in Queen's Drive on Sunday 1 June 1958.

The 93rd Boy Scout Group was formed in 1941 at the Queen's Park Synagogue. After the Second World War there were proposals to set up a second scout group in the area, but they were frustrated due to a shortage of adult helpers. Eventually it was decided to amalgamate the 93rd with the proposed new group and form the 93rd (Norman) Boy Scout Group. The group was named for Norman Markson, an Assistant Cubmaster who had died on active service in the Second World War.

The new scout group met at first at Strathbungo School, but raised funds to build its own scout hall. It opened in 1958 on a site in Queen's Drive provided by Glasgow Corporation.

The scout hall closed in 2002 and in 2004 the building is home to Poppins Kindergarten."

No uniformity in tartans here. Anyone want to guess what they are?
Could the second from the left be Gordon?

[pipesndrumsnun]

I was thinking that the X-Marks tartan and the Clark/Clergy would both be good...very much like the prayer shawl!

[gilmore]

Earlier posted pic with caption:


"The 155th Boy Scout Group (1st Glasgow Jewish) at Garnethill Synagogue, c 1930s.

Founded in 1928, the 155th Scout Group was the first Jewish scout group in Glasgow. It began with fifteen members but numbers soon grew and more Jewish scout groups were set up in other parts of the city.

Many of the boys are wearing kilts as part of their uniforms. To the right, one boy holds the company flag featuring the Star of David just visible on it. The flag on the left appears to be the Union Jack."

[gilmore]

Another photo of the parade celebrating the opening of the Jewish Boy Scout Hall in 1958:



"A parade for the opening of the 93rd (Norman) Boy Scout Group's scout hall in 1958.

The procession appears to be coming from Queen's Park, along Balvicar Street, passing Camphill Queen's Park Church on its way to the new Jewish Scout Hall in Queen's Drive. The boy scouts lead the way, with the cubs following and the girl guides and brownies bringing up the rear. The tenements which can just be seen next to the church were subsequently demolished and replaced in 2003-2004 with executive flats."

[gilmore]

"Jewish servicemen outside South Portland Street Synagogue c 1916.

Around 1,200 Glasgow Jews enlisted in the armed forces during the First World War, of whom eighty-six died in action.

South Portland Street Synagogue opened in 1901 and was the focus of Judaism in the Gorbals."

Can anyone identify their regiments from the kilts, the sporrans, or the insignia?

[gilmore]

"A Bar Kochba weekend camp at Loch Lomond in the 1930s.

The Glasgow Bar Kochba Jewish sports club was founded in 1933 and was based in Turriff Street in the Gorbals. As well as offering members access to facilities in Glasgow, it organised weekend excursions to the countryside and a variety of social functions."

This is an interesting photo in that it shows that by the 1930's at least some Scottish Jews were relating to the kilt differently than had their immediate forebears.

The caption of the earlier photo from the earlier 20th Century read "One major difference between the JLB [Jewish Lads Brigade] and other youth groups was the intention that JLB membership would help the children of immigrants integrate themselves into their new surroundings and learn to be good citizens. Accordingly the Glasgow JLB adopted a number of Scottish traditions including establishing what was claimed to be the world's only all-Jewish pipe band."

Quite a few British and other Jews enlisted in the British armed forces and wore kilts in World War I, going against a long history of anti-Semitism in the European military and exclusion of Jews from armed forces (other than 25-year-long terms of conscription in the Tsarist Russian army), to demonstrate patriotism in their (often new) country.

Here we see that at least some Scottish Jews by the 1930's were not taking the kilt as seriously as a marker of Scots identity as it had been in earlier years.

[macwilkin]

"Jewish servicemen outside South Portland Street Synagogue c 1916.

Around 1,200 Glasgow Jews enlisted in the armed forces during the First World War, of whom eighty-six died in action.

South Portland Street Synagogue opened in 1901 and was the focus of Judaism in the Gorbals."

Can anyone identify their regiments from the kilts, the sporrans, or the insignia?

The lads on the upper left appear to be wearing the "swinging six" sporran of the Argylls -- their glengarries have the A & SH Highlanders dicing pattern as well.

I remember a story from Bryon Farwell's Mr. Kipling's Army that told of someone seeing a Gordon Highlander praying in a synagogue in Aberdeen.

T.