For Immediate Release
June 6, 2022
The Museum of Jewish Montreal announces its new home at 5220 St-Laurent Boulevard
MONTRÉAL, QC – JUNE 6, 2022 – The Museum of Jewish Montreal (MJM) is proud to announce that it has a new home at 5220 St-Laurent Boulevard. The 10,000 square-foot building, located in the heart of the Mile End, establishes a new public arts and cultural space in the neighbourhood by delivering innovative programming focused on the past, present, and future of Jewish Montreal. MJM’s future home will offer manifold opportunities for visitors to feel connected to and be inspired by Montreal’s Jewish art, culture and heritage in exciting and forward-thinking ways.
Constructed in 1914, MJM’s new address briefly housed a garment factory, synagogue, and Jewish day school throughout the 1920s, and MJM is overjoyed to be reconnecting to the building’s Jewish roots. From 1984 to 1996, the location housed Lux, a 24-hour restaurant, bar and magazine store, making it one of the city’s premier hangouts of the time. Having not been publicly accessible in over 25 years, MJM is thrilled to breathe new life into a space that carries a long legacy of creativity and gathering.
Since its founding in 2010, MJM has centred its mission upon providing a space for visitors and young people in particular to explore Montreal’s Jewish identity through a range of cultural experiences. MJM’s new location will see the Museum expand its programming in contemporary art exhibitions, cultural events, historical walking tours and food tours, community gatherings, and more. As Zev Moses, Executive Director of the Museum of Jewish Montreal stated: “After two years of building community online, it’s time to give a physical home to the growing numbers of people looking for new cultural and creative connections to Jewish life in Montreal.”
The Museum’s strength lies within its vision for a stronger Jewish arts and cultural ecosystem in Montreal. Alyssa Stokvis-Hauer, Artistic Director of the Museum of Jewish Montreal, said: “We want to give young adults a place to be creative, curious, and connected with Jewish identity on their own terms.”
When MJM was operating online, the Museum formed a strong hub of young community members. This energy has been building and is ready to take off in the new space. Now more than ever, these relationships are motivating MJM to deliver innovative, experimental, and adaptable programming in its future home that will make everyone feel connected to and inspired by Jewish identity and heritage.
Zev Moses, Executive Director of the Museum of Jewish Montreal, stated: “People have been waiting for new spaces to gather, and we want to bring our home to life as soon as possible.” Therefore, from July 2022, MJM will begin to activate its new space with arts and cultural programming. In October, MJM will open its first art exhibition in its new home, which will coincide with a public mural project and related programming. Construction will begin in 2023 in order to make the upper floors accessible. During this phase, the team will be developing expanded programmatic infrastructure to fill its new home. The new MJM will host its official grand opening in 2024. Until that time, the Museum’s new home will only be open for special events and exhibitions.
In the meantime, MJM invites everyone to stay tuned to its social media where the space’s first events will be announced, and where more updates about its new home will be shared over the coming months.
As the Museum gradually takes form in its new home over the next year, it is raising money to support its programming over the long-term. “We are blessed to have this incredible space where we can bring people together to experiment with Jewish arts and culture in new and exciting ways. Now we need more supporters to help us fill the space with groundbreaking events, exhibitions, workshops, and gatherings that will allow Montreal’s Jewish arts and culture ecosystem to evolve,” said Zev Moses.
Elana Ludman, President of the Board of Directors of the Museum, stated: “We’ve always been a welcoming and inclusive art, culture, and heritage organization, and this new space allows us to achieve that vision and unlock all the potential possibilities that lie in front of us. We have all worked hard to make this day a reality and we’re excited to further develop and grow as an arts and cultural space in Montreal. This home allows us to realize that dream.”
Information:
Austin Henderson
Arts Programming & Communications Manager
Museum of Jewish Montreal
[email protected]
(514) 840-9300