The Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation (EHC) is the main Jewish community in Scotland’s capital and the only purpose-built synagogue in Edinburgh, reflecting over two centuries of continuous Jewish life since the community was first organized in 1816. Its synagogue on Salisbury Road, completed in 1932 and designed by James Miller, remains the center of religious, cultural, and social life for the community today.

Opened to accommodate over 1,000 members and later remodeled in 1980 to seat around 400, the building continues to serve a smaller but active congregation. Services are held regularly on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, and Sunday mornings, with weekday minyanim arranged as needed, alongside a Sunday Cheder and a full program of communal and social events.

The Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation’s Salisbury Road synagogue, built between 1931 and 1932, was the first and remains the only purpose-built synagogue in Edinburgh since the community was founded in 1816. While Edinburgh’s Jewish population peaked at around 2,000 in the 1920s, it numbers about 900 today (though not all are members of the synagogue).

Designed by Glasgow architect James Miller, the synagogue was granted Scottish Category B listed status in 1996. Its striking red-brick exterior, unusual in Edinburgh, features four cubic corner turrets that create a simple yet monumental form. High-quality Flemish-bond brickwork with white mortar reinforces its robust appearance.

The Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation is home to a collection of beautiful stained glass windows, including six created by William Wilson, RSA, who is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished Scottish stained glass artists of the post-war generation. These windows enhance the synagogue’s beauty and reflect its rich artistic and cultural heritage.

Behind its traditional design lay advanced engineering for the period. The shallow saucer dome was suspended on steel hangers, giving the building excellent acoustics, while the gallery was largely cantilevered. The interior remains traditional, centered on a French........

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