Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- Montefiore Social and Dramatic Club
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
On October 10, 1880 eleven young men, ages 15 to 23, from established Jewish Montreal families met and organized the Montefiore Social and Dramatic Club. The founding members were: John Michaels, Nathan Michaels, Moses Cochenthaler, Myer Myers, Robert Hirsch, Maxwell Goldstein, Jacob Goldstein, Andrew E. Myers, David S. Friedman, Alex Eichmann and Louis Lewis.
The idea to form the Club actually came from Mr. and Mrs. Henry Jacobs, mother of John Michaels. The initial purpose of the Club was to provide a social setting for amateur dramatic performances. Meetings were held in the homes of the members’ parents and upon conclusion of Club business those parents were invited to join the group for refreshments.
Within the first seven months of the Club’s existence, membership rose from eleven to twenty-eight. Member dues were also increased from $1.00 to $5.00 by this point. Women were also invited to attend the Club as courtesy members so that they could participate in dramatic performances and social gatherings.
In addition to evenings featuring debates on social issues of the time, the Club also hosted musical nights and dances such as the “Calico Hop” as well as activities such as snowshoeing. Card games were also a constant feature of Club activity from the early days.
The Club received its first charter in 1889 from the Montreal City Council. By this time the Club had grown to be more comprehensive, to broaden its scope to numerous areas of interest. It became a reflection of the growth of the Jewish community in Montreal and the name was officially changed from the “Montefiore Social and Dramatic Club” to simply, “The Montefiore Club.”
With the name change of the Club in 1889 came an understanding that the institution was taking its place as an important social centre and leader for Montreal Jewry. By 1906, the population of Jewish Montreal had reached over 20,000, mainly due to immigration. The majority of the newly-arrived immigrants were in varying states of poverty, many needing a great deal of help to settle into their strange, new surroundings. During the early 20th century, Montefiore Club members became leaders in the numerous organizations established to build a stronger community. Organizations such as the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, the Baron de Hirsch Institute, Mount Sinai Sanatorium, and the Young Men’s Hebrew Association were all touched by the Montefiore Club and its members.
By 2005, due to a changing community and demographics, the Montefiore Club changed its admission and Club policies in an attempt to bolster the institution. Women were admitted as full members, the dress policy was relaxed and new entertainment programmes were attempted. For some time as well, the Club was hired as a venue for weddings, events for Concordia University and other organizations.
Despite these changes, Club membership continued to decline and by 2010 the number of members stood at only 72. For the members, past and present, the decision to close the Club was a heartbreaking but necessary move. In one final act of dedication to the community, the Club made the decision to donate the proceeds of the sale of the Guy Street building, the substantial art collection and any furniture to the Jewish Community Foundation and to Concordia University to support Jewish studies.