Back River Walking Tour

Join artist Sonia Bazar for a walking tour of the Back River Cemetery and Memorial Gardens. One of the city’s oldest Jewish cemeteries located in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, this burial ground plays a fascinating yet overlooked role in Montreal’s Jewish history.

Learn all about the cemetery’s tumultuous 140-year history as Bazar dives into the circumstances behind its founding, evolution, and near-abandonment. Informed by research conducted by Bazar, Dr. Anna Sheftel, and other collaborators at Concordia University, guests will leave with unique insight into this overlooked and enigmatic place in Montreal’s landscape. A Q&A will follow the guided tour. The tour will take place in English, but guests may ask questions in French.

This tour will be offered on June 15, July 20, and August 31. When purchasing your ticket, please be sure to select it for the date you wish to attend. Tickets valid only for the date of purchase.

Click here to purchase your tickets. As capacity is limited, we encourage guests to register in advance.

Sonia Bazar is a Montreal-born and based artist, who holds an MFA in Photography from Concordia University. Through sculpture, photography and poetry, their practice examines the notion of alien landscapes and how the body belongs to space. Sonia’s work has been shown in Canada, Germany, and Spain. In 2023, Bazar presented her multidisciplinary practice in the exhibition BACK RIVER at the Museum of Jewish Montreal.

Point of Departure: We will meet outside of the northern exit of Sauvé Metro, on the northwest corner of Rue Sauvé and Rue Berri. We advise guests to wear appropriate footwear, and to be mindful of their surroundings as some areas of the cemetery’s terrain are crowded and uneven.

Weather Policy: In the event of light rain, the tour will go on as scheduled. If there is a strong warning of heavy rain and/or thunderstorms, the tour will be postponed. All registrants will have the option to attend the rescheduled tour.