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The historic Montefiore Institute is a gift from The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project Society to the Calgary Jewish Community and to Calgary's Heritage Park Historical Village. This original 1916 prairie synagogue, which once served a tiny Jewish bloc settlement in eastern Alberta, is the first synagogue to be included in the permanent collection of any historic park in Canada.

The Extraordinary Story:

In 2005, Irena Karshenbaum began to gather volunteers and write a proposal to Calgary's Heritage Park Historical Village for the inclusion of a synagogue in the park's permanent collection. The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project was soon born and grew to include dozens of volunteers who gave selflessly of themselves to gift the historic Montefiore Institute - The Little Synagogue on the Prairie - to Heritage Park. On June 28, 2009, the fully restored Montefiore Institute was opened to the public with great joy and fanfare from the over 2,000 people in attendance.
 
The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project Society, the not-for-profit society registered in Alberta, Canada, has completed its mission and The Montefiore Institute is now the property of Heritage Park.

The original Mission Statement:

To restore and interpret a 1916 historic prairie synagogue building at Calgary’s Heritage Park Historical Village for the education and enjoyment of the park’s visitors, in order to build bridges of understanding among people of all cultures and religions.

The original Goals:

 - To encourage and support the building and appropriate furnishing of a restored prairie synagogue at Calgary’s Heritage Park Historical Village.
 - To secure funding from various sources including government, corporate, private, community and foundations to build and support the operation, maintenance and interpretation of the prairie synagogue.
 - To develop educational programs to interpret the synagogue, its history and context.
 - To assist with the training and education of Heritage Park staff and volunteers who will work as interpreters in the prairie synagogue.
 - To produce educational materials, brochures and/or other publications about Jewish life on the Canadian prairies from the 1880s to the present time to put this building in the context of that history.
 - To build relationships and goodwill between the Jewish community and Heritage Park’s board, staff, volunteers and visitors through the mechanism of the prairie synagogue.

The Prestigious Lion Award

    The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project was awarded a 2010 Lion Award in the Advocacy and Awareness category at a ceremony held on July 28, 2010 at the Water Centre. The Calgary Heritage Authority Lion Awards recognizes citizens and groups who have undertaken initiatives, of any scale, in support of heritage conservation in Calgary. These biannual awards are juried by the Calgary Heritage Authority. Pictured are the Board of Directors of The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project Society at the Lion Awards ceremony. Left to right: Shel Bercovich, Betti Weiss, Shauna Switzer (Treasurer), Trudy Cowan (Vice President), Emanuel Cohen, Irena Karshenbaum (President), Jack Switzer, Leslie Levant (Secretary).

    The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project in the news

    Read our fundraising materials

    Volunteers involved with the Original Project

      View our Photo Gallery

      A treasure trove of Jewish Life in Alberta at the beginning of the 20th century

        View Photos of the Move & the Grand Opening

        The Little Synagogue had many adventures on the way from it's old home. The arrival heralded a Mezzuzah ceremony and a wonderful Grand Opening.

          Video Memories

          We spoke to           two old Jewish farmers who remember homesteading on the prairies.