The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities is hosting a talk on Thursday 15th of August by researcher and author Fiona Frank.

Fiona Frank will discuss her book: Candles, Conversions and Class: five generations of a Scottish Jewish Family  in Orkney Library and Archive, Kirkwall  at 1p.m.

About the book:

Zvi David and Sophia Hoppenstein arrived in Edinburgh in the 1880s, fleeing pogroms and antisemitism in Russia. Fiona Frank tracked down and interviewed their descendants throughout Scotland, England and as far as Cape Town, as part of her PhD research at the University of Strathclyde’s Scottish Oral History Centre – and heard some fascinating family stories.

Fiona will share some tales of Jewish migration and Jewish life over the last 100 years then invite audience members to share the stories from their own family history.

Kenneth Collins, Chair of the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, said:

“This book is an important addition to the increasing literature on the history of the Jews in Scotland. Through the five generations studied every aspect of the Jewish experience in Scotland, integration and assimilation, Scottish and Jewish cultural identities, religious practice and secularisation, comes to vivid life.”

The talk with Fiona Frank is aimed at bringing the whole of the Orkney community together, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to share and celebrate our varied ancestry and traditions.

All the sessions are free (though donations will be welcomed) and there will be kosher snacks available.