A celebration the Jewish community of Quebec City

• Review
• Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Although Quebec City is not as multiethnic as a, let's say, Montreal, the celebration of its 400 anniversary was a time to reflect on the contribution made by various communities during these years.  Among the major events organised in the recent months and weeks, there is a little exhibition presented at the city's main train and bus station: «Gare du Palais» and that tells of the most important contribution of the Jewish community.   Its title: Same cloth, different tread, indicates the fact that all the Jews in Québec City have had different origins, coming at different times from different parts of Europe.  Their common link: their faith.

This exhibition made of panels of image and bilingual informative texts deals with a major theme: the meeting of the Jews with the people of Quebec.  Being a major port of entry into the continent, people have come to Quebec with the same determination of making a life here just as we have seen in other major cities of North America.  Just like many other communities, the Jewish integration has not been easy, often affected by social and political pressures.  In spite of that, one finds successful Jewish personalities involved in various fields.  In deed, as the exhibitions indicates, they have founded stores, banks, navigation and telegraph companies. We also learn the story of the synagogues, the first one having been built in the upper part of town in the mid-1800's, and the cemetery.   In another section, we get to know major figures of the Jewish community here and the life of families like the like the Harts, the Levys, the Pollacks, the Mohrs.. just to name a few. 

The exhibition will go on until the 26th of September and must not be missed.