SCoJeC is delighted to announce the appointment of Ellen McCance as our new Public Affairs Officer.

The advertisement for the post attracted considerable interest and a strong field of applicants, but Ellen stood out because of her proven track record in so many of the diverse aspects of SCoJeC's work both within and on behalf of the Community. These include strategic planning, networking with local and national policy-makers, community development, managing charities, campaigning and media, policy development, interfaith and community relations, public relations, event management, tackling rural disadvantage, and more.

Ellen came to Scotland in 1989, and since then has built a career both in a local authority context and for many years in a number of voluntary sector organisations, primarily in economic development, community engagement, and adult education. Her most recent role has been working with faith communities in Dundee to develop an anti-poverty project. Ellen grew up in Los Angeles where she attended the Los Angeles Hebrew High School, as well as a secular state high school. She graduated from Princeton University with honours in Politics, and has lived in Italy for several years, where she met her husband. She has been involved with the Dundee Hebrew Congregation for many years as co-coordinator of their outreach programme, and was recently elected its Secretary.

Ellen said, "It is a great honour to be offered this exciting post with SCoJeC. I look forward to helping to continue the excellent work they have pioneered in civic engagement for the Jewish Community in Scotland. I have long sought to marry my professional skills with my twin passions for my Jewish heritage and my civic life in Scotland. It is my absolute dream job – just exactly what I have always wanted to do. When this post was offered to me, I thought all my Chanukahs had come at once!"

Commenting on the appointment, SCoJeC Director Ephraim Borowski said: "We are absolutely delighted that Ellen applied for this crucial post, and to welcome her to the SCoJeC team. We were aware when we advertised this post that it required such a broad range of different knowledge, skills, and talents that we would be fortunate to find a candidate who ticked even half our boxes, so we are thrilled to be able to appoint someone who is such a perfect fit both with where SCoJeC is now and with how we would like it to develop in the future. Our appointment panel were unanimous in saying that it would be difficult to imagine anyone more tailor-made to undertake SCoJeC's manifold activities, or a post more tailor-made to fit Ellen's skills and experience. We look forward to working with her to develop and enhance our ability to support and represent the Jewish Community of Scotland."