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What’s new?
be inspired
why gil travel
Middle East
Western Europe
Eastern Europe
Latin America
Asia/ South Pacific/ Africa
North America
Oceana
From $4,750
OVERVIEW
In collaboration with Jewish Heritage Travel we are excited to offer this tour of Montreal.
Montreal’s Jewish history spans more than 250 years, beginning with Sephardic settlers in the 18th century. Throughout the 20th century, waves of Ashkenazi immigration, mostly from Eastern Europe, shaped dynamic communities, institutions, and cultural life. Yiddish thrived in schools, theaters, and labor movements. Today, institutions like the Jewish Public Library and Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre carry forward this legacy and cultural tradition.
Join us for a deep dive into the Yiddish culture of Montreal, including its food, dance, music, and literature as well as special scholar-arranged meetings with leaders in the community. During this unique week of creativity, connection, and cultural celebration, we explore Old Montreal’s cobblestone streets and historic landmarks, delve into the Jewish roots of the city in the Mile End neighborhood on the acclaimed “Beyond the Bagel” food tour, and enjoy interactive cultural experiences including klezmer music and Yiddish dance as well as a Yiddish sing-a-long.
We engage in meaningful dialogue with archivists, artists, and cultural activists at institutions such as the Jewish Public Library, and share a memorable Shabbat dinner at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Canada’s oldest Ashkenazi synagogue. We also learn about the rich history of Sephardic Montreal at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue and visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, home to an enormous collection, displayed across five pavilions.
From deluxe accommodations at the historic Hotel Place d’Armes to gourmet dining — including French cuisine at Brasserie 701 and a farewell dinner at the iconic Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel — we will experience the best that Montreal has to offer. Along the way, our accompanying scholar shares knowledge and insights through presentations, conversation, and introductions to the community.
This program offers a deeply enriching way to experience Yiddish culture — its history, art, music, cuisine — as well as the city of Montreal as a historic and contemporary center of Jewish life and creativity.
Departures
Duration
Highlights
Notes
Activity Level
Tailor Made
Itinerary
Program Cost: $4,750* includes:
6 nights’ accommodations at deluxe hotels
Full breakfast daily; 3 lunches, 3 dinners
All group transportation via deluxe air-conditioned coach
All lectures, guided tours, museums and site entrance fees
Special meetings with community members and leaders
*Per person, double occupancy; single supplement: $1,750. Fees not included: gratuities: $175; museum membership for nonmembers.
Travel note: Plan to arrive in Montreal on Tuesday, August 4th, 2026 and depart from Montreal on Monday, August 10th, 2026.
Each of our scholars are outstanding experts in their fields and play an active role in helping us design our journeys as well as accompanying us as we travel.
Sebastian Schulman is a scholar, writer, editor, and literary translator in and from Yiddish, Esperanto, French, Russian, and other languages. His original writing, scholarship, and translations have appeared in several anthologies and more than a dozen journals, including Two Lines, Words Without Borders, and Electric Literature. Seb has led and designed immersive educational experiences across North America and Eastern Europe and has also held leadership positions in several Jewish cultural organizations, including as the executive director of KlezKanada, and, currently, as the director of special projects and partnerships at the Yiddish Book Center. He divides his time between western Massachusetts and Montréal, Québec.
Brian Calvert, trip leader, is a Chicago native and holds a degree in political science from the University of Iowa. He is a veteran traveler who has lived and worked in China, New Zealand and Ireland. A former employee of Stanford University’s renowned Travel/Study program, Brian has personally managed group tours across Europe, Cuba, Africa (including Morocco multiple times), and through a vast part of Asia — Japan, Mongolia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, China, as well as a hike to Mount Everest Base Camp. He lives with his wife and child in Chicago and Thailand.
Independent arrival in Montreal and check in to the Hotel Place d’Armes by 4:00pm.
Our program begins with a welcome reception and scholar orientation at the hotel in the late afternoon, followed by a welcome dinner featuring French cuisine at the hotel’s highly rated Brasserie 701.
Meals Included: Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes.
This morning, we set out by foot from our hotel and step back in time on a captivating walking tour through Old Montreal. Cobblestone streets and 19th-century landmarks, such as the Notre-Dame Basilica (1829), Place d’Armes, and Bonsecours Market (1847) bring the city’s French colonial past to life. Explore charming alleyways, the lively Place Jacques-Cartier, and the scenic Old Port (dating back to 1611) as we uncover the stories and architecture that shaped one of North America’s most historic and enchanting neighborhoods. The tour includes a special focus on the early Jewish history of Montreal, one of Canada’s first Jewish communities.
We lunch together at an upscale Mediterranean restaurant near the hotel, and afterwards, our scholar presents “Literary Readings of Jewish Montreal,” which sets the stage for the remainder of our itinerary. Afterwards, enjoy dinner on your own.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes
After a talk by our scholar in the morning, entitled “Sur un Seul Pied: A History of Yiddish Culture in Québec,” we set off for Mile End, a multicultural and artistic hotspot that holds deep historical and cultural significance for the Jewish community of Montreal. Beginning in the early 20th century, Mile End became a hub for Jewish immigrants, particularly Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews fleeing persecution and poverty. Attracted by affordable housing and proximity to factory jobs, many settled in the area, establishing a tight-knit, Yiddish-speaking community.
During its peak from the 1920s to the 1950s, Mile End was home to numerous synagogues, Jewish schools, social clubs, and businesses. It played a central role in Montreal’s Jewish cultural life and helped foster a strong tradition of Jewish labor activism and intellectualism. Though many Jewish families eventually moved to other neighborhoods like Côte-Saint-Luc and Hampstead, Mile End’s Jewish roots remain evident especially in its food culture.
On a guided “Beyond the Bagel” Jewish food tour of the neighborhood, led by the expert guides from the Museum of Jewish Montreal, we will settle the debate on the city’s best bagels, sample Montreal’s legendary smoked meat, and nibble on treats from multiple bakeries, chic new restaurants, and much more as we visit iconic decades-old establishments as well as new businesses.
In the late afternoon, we are treated to a concert of klezmer music and a Yiddish dance workshop with the dynamic and creative community known as KlezKanada (no experience necessary!), followed by dinner on your own.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes
Today we explore many of the communities that make Montreal one of the continent’s most diverse Jewish cities. In the morning, we visit the Jewish Public Library (JPL), an institution since 1914 that started as an immigrant-run educational center in a cold-water flat and has developed today into a central meeting place for literary and cultural exchange, serving a local and international community in five languages. At the library, we meet with the professionals who run the institution’s famed archives as well as contemporary cultural activists on the JPL Yiddish Committee.
After lunch together at the Federation Cafe, we continue across the street to the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, home to the oldest Jewish congregation in Canada, founded in 1768. Here, we discover the rich history of Sephardic Montreal as well as some of the other communities that make up the city mosaic.
We then visit the Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre, a Yiddish-language community theatre unique in North America, housed at the Segal Centre for the Arts. Performers and participants in the theatre will share memories, uncover archival treasures, and lead us in a special Yiddish sing-a-long.
In the evening, we share Shabbat dinner at the historic Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in Canada. Also musician Leonard Cohen’s childhood synagogue, the Shaar is known for its opulent style, warm community, and Grammy Award-winning choir.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes
In the morning, you have the option to attend services at one of several synagogues. Sample walking itineraries and information on the city’s synagogues will be provided by our scholar. The rest of the day is yours to relax and explore as you wish. In the late afternoon, you may choose to participate in an optional workshop/lecture “Beser in the Original: The Art of Literary Translation.”
You are free for dinner on your own. Then, after a day spent mostly apart, we gather for an informal havdalah ceremony and special dessert at the hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dessert
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes
We spend our last day exploring the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts), one of the city’s premier arts institutions since 1860, with a collection of more than 45,000 items dating from antiquity to today that showcase Quebec and Canadian heritage, Indigenous art, and international art.
The afternoon is yours for lunch and exploring on your own.
We reconvene for a farewell dinner at a true Montreal institution, the Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel, which dates to 1754, and is a 5-minute walk from our hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes
Departure from the hotel to the airport for flights home.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Place d’Armes
Payment Reserve your space with a nonrefundable deposit of $1,000 per person. Final balance is due 120 days prior to departure.
Membership Participation on these tours is a benefit for active members of JHT museum partners. During the registration process, you will be asked about your membership status with your affiliated museum. If you are not a current member, you will have a chance to activate your membership.
Participation Tour sizes are limited to 28 participants unless otherwise noted. Trips entail considerable walking including over uneven terrain. Participants need to be in good health, be able to keep up with the group, be able to experience group and cultural differences with grace. Please let us know if you have any physical conditions that may require special attention while on tour.
Cancellations All cancellations must be received by Gil Travel in writing. Cancellations received 120 days or more prior to departure: full refund less nonrefundable deposits, per person; 119–90 days prior to departure: 50% refund per person after nonrefundable deposits. 89–0 days before departure: no refund.
Trip Cancellation Insurance Gil Travel Travel strongly urges all participants to purchase travel insurance for coverage of losses necessitated by having to cancel due to illness or accident. For your convenience, we are providing a link to RoamRight, which many past participants have used. When purchasing insurance, please consider the plans carefully to familiarize yourself with what is covered. In this context, do take note that most insurance companies generally will waive exclusion for preexisting conditions only if your application is received by them within 14 days from the date of your program registration. If you have a preexisting medical condition and are interested in taking trip insurance, you should do so either with Roamright or through your own insurance agent within 14 days of registration.
Changes All rights are reserved by Gil Travel and Jewish Heritage Travel to make scholar substitutions and/or to modify the itinerary (including hotels) as needed. Every reasonable effort will be made to operate the program as planned; however, should unforeseen world events and conditions require the itinerary to be altered, Jewish Heritage Travel reserves the right to do so for the safety and best interest of the group. Any extra expenses incurred in this situation are the responsibility of the participant.
Disclaimer of Responsibility By registering for this program, participant specifically waives any and all claims of action against Gil Travel or the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Heritage Travel office and their respective staffs for damages, loss, injury, accident, or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. Gil Travel, The Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Heritage Travel office and their respective staffs assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft, or other conveyance that may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will Gil Travel, the Museum of Jewish Heritage or the Jewish Heritage Travel office or their staffs be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, viruses, weather, strikes, wars, and other causes. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements, including hotels or scholars, such alterations may be made without penalty. All rights reserved to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the tour staff to be in the best interest of the participant’s health and safety and that of the group in general. Prices subject to change. Cost in effect at time of registration will be honored.
Are Kosher meals available?
While we do not offer Kosher food, we offer fish and/or vegetarian options at every meal included in the trip.
How many people will be on the trip?
On average about 24 people.
What is the age group?
55+
What is the makeup of the participants?
A good mix of singles and couples.
How fit do I need to be? How much walking is there?
You should be able to walk about two miles in a day, though not all at once. Please see the itinerary of the trip(s) you are interested in to get a sense of the schedule for each day. When there is free time, some choose to stay active, others to rest.
If you prefer more activity, many of the hotels we stay in have pools and fitness facilities, and some of our trips do offer the opportunity for more physical activity.
Are the trips accessible for people with canes, walkers, or wheelchairs?
People who use a cane to aid their walking have found our trips accessible. You still need to be able to walk about two miles in a day, though not all at once. Unfortunately, accessibility can be limited in the places we travel, making it too difficult for people in wheelchairs or walkers to participate in our trips.
Is the trip Shabbat Observant?
We normally have a Shabbat dinner together be it at a hotel or restaurant and sometimes at a synagogue. We do not have programming on Saturday other than perhaps a meeting with the scholar. In some destinations we offer walking tours on Saturday. You can refer to the itinerary of your chosen trip for specifics.
When does the program actually begin?
The Itinerary and Program Details section of the trip you are interested in will indicate when to plan to arrive and depart, as well as when the program begins and ends. Every trip includes a welcome session to get oriented and meet each other, the guides, and scholars and a farewell event to celebrate, reflect, and say good-bye to our fellow travelers.
Are airport transfers included?
Airport transfers are not included. Taxis, and often other transportation options, are available from all airports.
Are meals included?
The Itinerary of the trip you are interested in will indicate which meals are included on each day. For meals on your own, suggestions are available from the concierge at the hotels we are staying in. We encourage you to explore the diversity of local and international cuisines in the places we visit.
Are the trips only for Jewish people?
While the majority of our travelers are Jewish, our trips are for anyone interested in exploring the Jewish heritage of the destinations we take you to.
I’d like to explore my genealogy at one of the places you are going to. Is that possible?
Our trips are not designed for genealogical research. If you want to undertake genealogical work, it is necessary to do this on your own and would be best to plan for an extra few days before or after one of our trips.
How much free time will I have?
Please see the itinerary of the trip(s) you are interested in for information on when free time is scheduled for exploring on your own, resting in your room, engaging in conversation with new friends, etc.
Is there Wi-Fi everywhere?
While WiFi is available in most of the world, there are regions or locations where it is not as accessible. Most of the hotels we stay at offer free WiFi.
What Museum Memberships Qualify?
Museum of Jewish Heritage New York: $54
Holocaust Museum LA: $100
Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center – Nassau County: $54
Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History: $54
*Membership # will need to be provided upon registration
Accommodation
Hotel Place d’Armes in Montreal is a luxurious boutique hotel set in four historic 19th-century buildings in the vibrant neighborhood of Old Montreal. Blending classic architecture with modern elegance, it offers refined rooms, a full-service spa, rooftop terrace, and fine dining, all steps away from Notre-Dame Basilica and the Old Port.
*Star rating standards vary from country to country.
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