• Lazarus Cram, living in Giffnock with his Mother-in-Law Mrs. Pollock, organises the first High Festival services at his home on Briarlea Drive.
• He solicits help from his neighbours, including Mr. Benson, and gathers a minyan of men by knocking on doors.
• The services are advertised in the Jewish Echo and well attended, leading to the formation of a working committee.

• The growing Jewish population in Giffnock necessitates a venue for daily services.
• The police allow the use of a room in the Giffnock Police Court House, where daily services and meetings are conducted.

• After a local census, a Cheder (Jewish religious school) is established with 24 initial students, with lessons held in the Court House.
• Classes later move to Giffnock School, which provides classrooms for this growing initiative.
• Fees are implemented, and Glasgow Talmud Torah provides teachers under the guidance of Rev. Dr. I.K. Cosgrove.

• A subcommittee is formed to find a suitable site for a synagogue. Members include L. Benson, E. Naftalin, and others.
• Fundraising efforts ramp up, including the establishment of a Ladies
• Committee led by Mrs. C. Markson and Mrs. E. Silverstone.
• In 1937, a site at May Terrace is purchased for £5,000, and plans for building the synagogue are approved.

• Construction of the synagogue on May Terrace begins in June and finishes in September.
• The foundation stone is laid by E. Levitus on August 14, 1938, for his contributions to the project.
• The synagogue opens officially on September 18, 1938. The ceremony is led by Solomon Wolfson JP, and services are conducted by Rev. Hershaw with the Garnethill Choir.

• The synagogue supports Jewish soldiers stationed in Giffnock during WWII, offering hospitality during High Festivals and Pesach.
• In 1941, the synagogue assists the Polish Army Corps by collecting clothing for Russian refugees.
• By 1946, Rev. A.L. Rubinstein is appointed minister, ensuring high standards of education in the Cheder while also expanding community services.
• Membership grows to 550 by 1947, leading to capacity issues in the synagogue's 400-seat structure.
• Overflow services for the High Festivals are held at Orchardhill Church.
• A communal hall and three classrooms are built in 1949 to accommodate Cheder students.

• Following the opening of the youth centre, the 7.30 club was founded by Mrs Lily Bernard, who chaired the club until her retirement in 1965.
• The club was open to girls between 15 and 21 and boys between 16 and 21.
• There were a variety of activities including dances, committee meetings, football, table tennis, drama, bridge, chess, body-building and weight lifting, swimming and athletics. During the summer there were cycle runs and bus parties to the coast.
• A Chupah was presented to the synagogue from the proceeds of the club, a fitting gift as many couples met at the 7.30 Club and subsequently married.

• Sam Barclay oversees the construction of the communal hall and classrooms. They are opened on September 18, 1949, by Sam Barclay.
• Bertie Rubin is appointed Shammos, a post he holds for 35 years. Well-known for his impeccable memory, never having to refer to a book for Hebrew names when calling up men for an aliyah.

• By the early 1960s, a growing membership led to overflow services at the Tudor Cinema for 380 members without seats.
• Isaac Jesner bought "The Glen" and offered it to the synagogue, after plans to convert the Tudor Cinema were deemed too costly.
• Members pledged £125,000 in donations over seven years, supplemented by loans and a £30,000 donation from the Wolfson brothers.
• Dr. Ephraim Cowan oversaw work from 1965–1969, ensuring smooth progress; Maurice Felstein cut the first turf, and Isaac Sclar laid the foundation stone.
• The last service at May Terrace took place on 14th September 1968, followed by a Torah procession to the new synagogue on 20th September.
• Charles Wolfson officially opened the classroom block and banqueting suite on 11th May 1969, completing the special new facilities at The Glen.

Rev. Phillip Copperman, who had been Chazan since 1959, departs after serving for four years.. During his tenure, he helped establish a male voice choir under the direction of Joseph Bernstein.

The Mikvah (Ritual Baths) which had been situated at the South Portland Street in the Gorbals for many years, was rebuilt in Giffnock Synagogue in 1971 due to the efforts of Isaac Jesner. Liba Bloch Greenberg officially opened it on 25 February. The annual running costs of the Mikvah are very high and it relies heavily on continuous donations from the community.

In September 1976, the Friendship Club was initiated by Rev Ernest Levy and set up by Mrs Ray Gamzu and Mrs Kathy Levy, with the help of Mrs E Jesner, Mrs E Stern, Mrs A Smullen, Mrs E Clapham and Mrs M Wolff, as a cultural and social centre for the over 60 age group. Meetings were initially held in the Shul every fortnight, but the club was so successful that they now meet every week. Events include bus outings, visits to the theatre and a speaker or entertainer once a month.

• The Cheder played a key role in the community’s early years, providing religious education for local Jewish children.
• The opening of the Jewish day school in 1962 led to a gradual decline in Cheder attendance.
• By 1970, population shrinkage caused Clarkston Shul to merge its Cheder with Giffnock’s.
• By 1973/4, only 107 pupils remained; numbers fell further to 62 by 1982, leading to the retirement of headmaster Mr. I Madisky.
• The Glasgow Board of Jewish Education moved Cheder classes to Newton Mearns Shul and Calderwood Lodge.

In 1991, Rev and Mrs Gamzu celebrated their Golden Wedding. A tea reception attended by some 260 people was held, and by way of a presentation, an educational trust was set up in their honour to help young men go to Yeshivot in this country and abroad.

In June 1993, a new Sefer Torah was written by Mr Barry Solomon (a Glaswegian who now lives in Israel) and presented to the synagogue by Mr Fred Miller. A dinner was held in the Banqueting Suite to celebrate this momentous occasion and the guest of honour was the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Rabbi Cyril K Harris.

On Sunday 4th March 1995, over 250 guests were seated in the Banqueting Suite waiting for the celebratory M’Lavah Malkah to begin when it was announced that Rev Avrom Gamzu had collapsed and subsequently passed away as he walked into the Banqueting Suite. Everybody was saddened and shocked and there was talk of cancelling the evening. However, Mrs Gamzu insisted that the proceedings carry on as that would have been what her husband would have wanted. Gammy, as he was affectionately known, had been associated with the Shul for 50 years and had acted in every ministerial capacity, gaining a reputation as Mohel and Baal Keriah. The evening opened with a minute’s silence, continuing with tributes to a much loved man. The guest of honour was Rabbi Jeremy Rosen who was the Rabbi when the Shul moved to Fenwick Road.

On Shabbat 7th February 1998, The Shul was honoured with a visit by the Chief Rabbi Dr Jonathan Sacks. A lunch was organised in his honour and attended by around 190 members of the congregation and community at large. It was a memorable day and a triumph for the congregation.

• Rabbi and Mrs. Greenberg retired to London in late 1998 after 17 years of service, with a farewell dinner held in January 1999.
• Rabbi Moshe Rubin, assistant Rabbi since 1994, became the Shul's Rabbi in 1999 and was inducted by the Chief Rabbi on 31st October.
• Rabbi Rubin created Giffnock's own weekly Sedra Sheet, featuring Sedra explanations, announcements, and upcoming social events.
• Rabbi Rubin introduced a monthly Shabbat birthday Kiddush for children, including birthday cards and a special chocolate cake at the Kiddush.
• In October 1999, Rebbetzin Rubin established a Mother and Toddler group, which remains active.

As some of the Shul’s Torah scrolls were in need of repair due to their age, the Torah 2000 project was launched. An appeal was made, and within 6 months, due to the support of members, expatriates and friends, over £50,000 was raised and the Shul was able to commission two Sifrei Torahs and a Megilla. The dedication took place on 10th June 2001 in the presence of the Chief Rabbi. Following the procession into the Shul, each Rabbi was invited to complete a letter in each Sefer Torah. The last letter in one Torah scroll was written by the Chief Rabbi and in the other by Rabbi Greenberg who had come to Glasgow for this memorable occasion. Rabbi Rubin wrote the second last letter in each. Mincha was led by Rev Levy accompanied by the Choir.

On 20th September 2002, 19 year old Yoni Jesner was killed on a bus in Tel Aviv by a suicide bomber. The whole community was shocked. Yoni was a very popular member and had played a prominent role in the Shul and wider Jewish community. A memorial service to a packed Shul was held on 2nd October 2002.

After Queen’s Park Shul closed its doors in October 2002, a decision was made to relocate 22 stained glass windows by artist John Clark, each one depicting a different Jewish theme, and install them in Giffnock. This was done with the help of a grant from the National Lottery Fund. The Shul has subsequently been invited to take part in the Doors Open Day each year, attracting over 300 visitors.

Other major ongoing projects that were realised during 2004-5 were the installation of a hearing loop system at a cost of £2,000, refurbishment of the banqueting suite, a new pulpit and a security barrier around the Aron Kodesh for when it is not being used.

In January 2004, a small section of seating downstairs was separated off by a Mechitzah to cater for lady members who had difficulty in climbing the stairs. A disabled ramp was also completed and installed in October 2004. The total cost was defrayed by the generosity of members.

A new befriending group, known as Big Hearts, was launched in 2006 to organise visits to elderly or infirm members of the congregation in their homes. It was extended in 2009 with the launch of a new project to help mourners immediately after a funeral with arrangements for candles and food.

In March 2007, a very successful evening was held in the banqueting suite where guests were entertained by Robert Sherman and his son Robbie. Robert is an American songwriter specialising in musical films including songs from Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Slipper and the Rose and the theme park song, It’s a Small World After All. The evening was sold out. Robert also donated two limited edition prints of his paintings, one of Moses and the other of Abraham, which are currently hang in the reception area.

For the first time, in September 2007 the Kirking of East Renfrewshire Council took place in the Shul attended by local dignitaries, councillors and MPs. A short service was followed by a Kiddush.

For the first time in 45 years, the son of the Shul Rabbi celebrated his Barmitzvah in Giffnock. On Monday 20th April there was a calling up ceremony followed by breakfast. The following Sunday there was a Barmitzvah celebration to which all the members were invited. There was a short afternoon service followed by speeches and a sumptuous afternoon tea. The event was packed out.

The anniversary dinner took place on Sunday 6th September in the banqueting suite and tickets were sold out. The guest speaker was Dayan Ivan Binstock of St. John’s Wood Synagogue and guests travelled from as far as Israel for the evening.. A photo exhibition of events over the last 75 years was created in the reception area.

For nearly twenty years there have been discussion between Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation and Giffnock Newlands Hebrew Congregation about the feasability of merging the two congregations into one building.

This was as on and off project that seemed to start well and then for many reasons stalled.

In 2021 under the leadership of Jeffrey Jesner, Chairman of Giffnock & Lewis Orchant, Chairman of Newton Mearns a decision was finally reached to merge the two congregations.
The first step was to agree a name, which one would have thought would have been straightforward.

We initally had a ballot with 5 or 6 suggested names. This was whittled down to two and a vote for the name was taken. The outcome in July 2021 was for GNMS. Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue.

Having agreed the name there were long discussions on which building would be the best for the new congregation. Again numerous discussions took place over many months with ideas and suggestions coming form all parties from both buildings.

It was decided that there needed to be another ballot, this time for choice of venue and on May 24 2022 the decision was made that the site at Larchfield Court would close and all services, both religious and social would take place at Fenwick Road.

A very tough decision then had to be made as to when Larchfield’s last service would take place. Understandably the Larchfield Court members wanted to stay open as long as possible but as one of the main reasons for merging into one congregation was to reduce our overheads it was felt that closing sooner rather than later would be the best option.

The last service held at Larchfield Court was in December 2022 although we had a special closing service and ceremony along with a Dinner in Larchfield Court, attended by the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis on January 22 2023. Emotions ran high but the overall atmosphere was very positive.

From January the numbers of former Newton Mearns members coming to Fenwick Road steadily increased over the following months and culminated in the Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur services September 2023 reaching all time highs. The atmosphere was wonderful and everyone seemed to be very happy with the merger.