Hasidic Montreal Life. Beyond the New York Narrative

• In Event: Crossing the Great Divide. Looking at the US from the North of the Border

Abstract

Talking about Hasidic life in North America has nearly always been synonymous with New York Jewish life. A quick look at a bibliography on the subject gives a great sense of the central place occupied by New York in the rebirth of Hasidic life on the continent. However, not very far from the Big Apple, another pole of attraction developed before WWII. This center is situated in Canada, in the cities of Montreal and Boisbriand. There is no doubt that the number of Hasidic inhabitants in Canada cannot be compared to the American metropolis, but it remains a unique center that deserves its own attention. Indeed, if the connections with New York are particularly strong, it is because the majority of arranged marriages in Canada are made between boys from New York and girls from Montreal.

Author

• Jessica Roda, Georgetown University