About Us

stone building with large windows and front entrance at centre
Saint John Jewish Historical Museum 



Saint John Jewish Community - Historical Overview

The Saint John Jewish Historical Museum was created in 1986 to preserve the history of the Saint John Jewish Community and share it with the visitors from around the world. Our mandate is to collect, conserve, display and educate. We show documents and artifacts related to the Saint John Jewish community. The Museum features a number of permanent and changing exhibits. 

The Museum also gathered an archival collection of documents and photographs recording all facets of the community's life, as well as genealogical material and created a library of books in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. 

The Saint John Jewish community was founded in 1858 with the arrival from England of Solomon and Alice Hart and their family. The first synagogue, Ahavith Achim (Brotherly Love) was dedicated in 1899. The community consisted of about thirty families, many of them cigar makers.

The second wave of Jewish immigration began in 1892 and continued through the 1920s. Many men supported themselves and their families as peddlers. Within a few years they opened stores and factories along Main, Mill and Dock Streets. A second synagogue was established on Hazen Avenue to accommodate the growing population.

The merger of the two congregations into Congregation Shaarei Zedek in 1919 ushered in the "Golden Years" for the Saint John Jewish community. The "Golden Years" lasted until the 1960s. There were 250 to 300 families - more than 1400 people.

A number of Jewish organizations flourished during this period, Many individuals held office at the national levels of Hadassah and other Zionist organizations. There were more than 85 Jewish-owned businesses throughout the city offering clothing, shoes, furniture, groceries and services. More than 70 Jewish men and women gave distinguished service in all branches of the armed forces during the Second World War, Later others would take on leadership roles in a number of service organizations in the city.

By the 1960s the grandchildren of the immigrants were leaving the city to pursue educational and employment opportunities in larger Canadian and American cities, Most would not return and many parents left when they retired to join their children.

Since 2010, Saint John has welcomed many new Jewish families who are re-building a vibrant Jewish community. 

The Synagogue and Museum reflect the past, present and future of the Saint John Jewish community.


To comment on this story please send an email to sjjhm@nbnet.nb.ca



This project is made possible with funding from the Archaeology and Heritage Branch, Province of New Brunswick through their Exhibit Renewal Digital Component program and the unwavering support of the Jewish families who made Saint John their home.



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