Looking for info on Montreal

Montreal has a very small yeshivish community. My friend who lives tells me that the community is very hospitable but very insular in the Yeshiva area.

There is only one Yeshivah there which has gone through a bitter era in terms of politics or a very Hungarian type of Yeshivah (Chassam Sofer type).

It is FREEZING there in the winter and once outside the community it is very difficult to get anything done unless you speak French.

Tell your friend to move to Detroit

I grew up in the yeshivish community in Montreal (and still have plenty of family there). I can answer any specific questions anyone might have.

Montreal is a great city and the frum community has many wonderful people in it.

The yeshivish community in the deVimy area is a small, but influential one (Rav Hirschprung was the rosh yeshiva for many years). Real estate is cheaper, but not that much cheaper, than in US cities, but the price of kosher food is very high. Very reliable, non-profit local kashrus – considered mehadrin outside Montreal.

Some problems with French extremists and Muslims, but still much safer than many other places. The French problem is one nut and one city legislator in the Chassidishe area, and Muslims who start up are dealt with very severely by law enforcement.

Cold winters, snow starts melting around Pesach if you’re lucky.

You CAN survive in the Yiddishe velt without French, but only if you stay exclusively within the community. To work outside it, you need French.

Isn’t Rabbi Emanuel’s first name Shaul?

You can manage in Montreal, living in one of the Jewish communities, without speaking french. You will pick up some french once you are there and it definitely shouldn’t be something to worry about with respect to moving there.

Rent is relatively cheap (compared to Brooklyn or Monsey). But to buy a house in the Yeshivish neighborhood is expensive (more expensive than Monsey but less than Flatbush).

When people say the Yeshivish community is small, that is only compared to the Greater NY area communities. It is as big or bigger than Detroit, Cleveland, Miami and others.

There are a lot small shuls but no real big shuls and everything within the Yeshivish community is in walking distance. Because Montreal has significant Chasidish, Lubavitch, Sephardi and MO communities as well there is plenty of Kosher food.

There are two Yeshivos that run from Nursey through High School and there is one Bais Medrash (that has fallen on hard times lately but was great when I went there). There is a large Bais Yakov and Seminary.

My information is a little behind the times because I haven’t actually lived in the community in 10 years (but I go back to visit often).

The Yeshivish community if very frum (it is definitely frummer now than when I grew up) and getting frummer. I think the education through high school in the more litvish Yeshiva is very good (I can’t comment on the more heimishe Mesivta). The high school rabbeim are very good. I can’t really comment on the Bais Yaakov because I never went there.

There are less problems there than in Yeshivish communities in the US. They are 10-15 years behind in terms of the problems.

I heard that the yeshiva there had some difficulties after R’ Altusky left to go to Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway. He was very popular, and some guys from the yeshiva followed him there. Afterwards, some people who would have gone to Montreal went to Darchei Torah instead.

Shraga18 -“Someone I know is contemplating moving to Montreal. They’re looking for information on schooling, cost of living (large family), communities (they’re yeshivish) etc etc.”

The biggest problem that I found with Moreal is that the Frum communities are not cohesive. What do I mean? When you live in such a Golus amongst Antisemitic French and lots of Muslims, the Frum communities would fare much better if they were all next to each other. Eg. Toronno, basically is cohesive. It started around Bathurst and moved up. When you go to visit the different communities -you’ll see what I mean.

Also, for people not used to very cold, it can be challenging.

benignuman -“While Reb Mottel Zt”l was alive, he was undoubtedly in control of the ruchnius of the Yeshiva. Recently, and in my mind terribly, R’ Glustein was removed from his position (and then brought back in as Rosh Yeshiva Emiritus) and R’Zeffren was forced to retire.”

Who’s running the place now? Unless he’s doing a bad job, I don’t understand your comment of “Recently, and in my mind terribly, R’ Glustein was removed from his position (and then brought back in as Rosh Yeshiva Emiritus)”!

Berliner,

It is sad that you have such a bad view of Montreal. I completely disagree on almost every point (the MK had issues years, and years ago but has been a very fine hechsher for a while now).

I don’t know what you mean by “no rosh yeshivas have ever come out of the place.” Many, many very fine bochurim have come out of the Yeshiva and many of them have gone on to be tremendous talmidei chachamim. The Bais Medrash program of the Yeshiva is having problems now but the high school is doing just fine.

The anti-semitism is grossly over-stated. I grew up there and I never felt any “palpable” hatred. The community is actually growing quite nicely (which has led to a housing shortage).

I don’t know your connection to Montreal but it seems like it is really coming through a darkly tinted glass.

berlin- i wont argue about any points you made, im not a fan myself, but this line”…The local hechsherim, are unfortunately sub-par by american standards…”- is a total fallacy.

SaysMe -“health-pretty sure its Toronto; i have a sib there”

If you’re talking about the spelling, but I was talking about their pronunciation.

in montreal most people speak english, outside the city its mostly french. we try to be polite as possible to our goyish neighbours (duh, who doesnt) and b”h we live in much peace and tranquility, as in any other city. most negative remarks, or headlines is usually a political affair and not personal issues disrupting our peaceful lives. but where do you get this false notion that ‘the general populace dislikes jews’ is beyond me…?

I don’t know much about Montreal, but it seems like a nice town, and obviously if the guy is inquiring, he probably has a reason such as a job offer.

However I think some people who are commenting and live(d) there have become oblivious to the anti-semitism.

We were there for a short visit, and I convinced my husband to drive to the peak of Mont Royal park at night as it was our only opportunity and I wanted to enjoy the view. Not being natives we drove around slowly and apparently ended up on a different side. Still driving in our minivan with NY plates some youths, likely students from a nearby university, recognized our “Jewish” car and started screaming “something” Juife. (I thankfully didn’t get exactly what.)

We have never come across such blatant anti-semitism anywhere else, and had quite a scare. And we have no mezuza on our car…

health- common myth supposedly! some do, most don’t. More common for brooklyners to call it torono i’m told!

shtusim. im from toronto, and lived there all my life. any real natives say torono. with no ‘t’. any immigrant yeshivish people generally dont.

sorry mammele for your bad run in with those french racists. however you are pointing out one execeptional instance and generalizing. i have lived here in mtl all my life and NEVER experienced any anti-semitism. i have had antisemetic comments thrown at me twice however, in manhattan, and when i lived in europe for 2 years. i cannot think of any instance of an offensive remark, or confrontation in the streets in mtl. mtl as a city is much different than quebec as a whole, as it is a city that is multi-cultural, and has a wide variety of different ethnic groups, more than almost any city in the world. it is very tolerant, and it is the real french quebecers who are constantly battling and struggling for the province to retain its own identity and original french culture. that is what bill 101 is all about. that despite all the multi-ethnic peoples that moved here, they are fighting to try to maintain the province’s uniqueness and french as the main language.

i have worked with french quebecors and with other goyim (from ontario, ny, and chinese) for many years and found the french quebecers to be the most easiest people to deal with from them all.

Toi -“shtusim. im from toronto, and lived there all my life. any real natives say torono. with no ‘t’. any immigrant yeshivish people generally dont.”

Thanks for confirming my post since I’m not a Canadian.

It has 54 of 125 seats, having won a plurality of votes in last fall’s election.

Sorry Tzaddiq but you’re somewhat dillusional to believe that New York ever had a worse winter than Montreal. New York is about 400 miles south of your frozen, forsaken tundra. Montreal is so cold in the winter it has temperatures comparable to Siberia or Alaska. See the data yourself.

I once had the opportunity to drive with Reb Avruhm Niznik once and he said that everyone who came from Mir via Shanghai to Montreal could not wait to get out of there. They left the second they were allowed into the U.S. He said that his visa never worked out.

As far as the MK is concerned I will not get into it, but your community is held hostage by a mediocre hechsher that continues to function without any checks and balances. Just like the defunct Yeshiva. This is what you get when there’s no competition.

Benignuman – Please name me ONE single home grown Rosh Yeshiva or popular Ram that came through the Montreal yeshiva. Name One.

Tzaddiq: I realize that my experience does not make it a “trend” however if you are objective you will admit it was NOT an isolated incident. I found this article from the Montreal Gazette. The comment by Rabbi Steinmetz about shrugging off minor incidents is very similar to what I wrote about becoming oblivious. Although he’s saying Jews in general, I’d postulate that it’s more true in some places than others, and he was discussing Montreal.

Sorry, copy paste did a bad job here. Hope you guys will manage…

The attacks of vandalism this weekend on five Jewish institutions in Montreal are a disgrace. It is outrageousthata communityin this city cannotgo about its normal life without having to be worried thatitmight at any time be the object ofa gratuitous, hateful and violentattack.

Montrealers should notshrug this incident off,however. Itwas a co-ordinated, planned attack. We do notwantto be a place where vandals feel they can attack the institutional existence of fellow citizens with impunity, for somekind oftwisted thrill or political posturing.

In 2007, the Ben Wieder Jewish community centre was firebombed, and a few months earlier, theSkver-ToldosOrthodox Jewish Boys School.Two men were convicted in the attacks ; onewas sentenced to sevenyears in prison,theotherto four. Police found letters in which themen claimed to beacting on behalf of Islamic Jihad.

These convictions are a positivesign in an otherwise bleak picture. But the fact remains that these acts are far toocommon.Itis shamefulthattherearethose who would carry outsuch acts against other Montrealers, people with whom they share not only a civicspace,buta life. What they do not share, tragically, are values of freedom and toleranceand respect.

Read more : http://www.montrealgazette.com/news…”

I realize this article is two years old. But you’re not saying things have gotten better, but that they were always great. Rose colored glasses are not always preferable…

Meshuganer, read my post in context. It was a reply to an earlier post on why someone shouldn’t move to Montreal, citing that the weather and chinuch, and anti semitism there are to be avoided. There’s no hate in the post whatsoever. Perhaps you should speak to a rov or professional help for your own issues. Nothing to be ashamed of.

Berliner,

I cannot name a Rosh Yeshiva or “popular” Rosh Mesivta who was a product of YGMH. This doesn’t mean they don’t exist but I don’t know who they are. I don’t personally know many people who went the Yeshiva under the age of 40 and it is extremely unlikely to be either of those things at such a young age (unless you married in).

I do know, however, that many of the members of my shiur and the shiurim 2 to 6 years ahead of me were among the best bochurim and later yungerleit in the many world class yeshivas they attended after Montreal. They were among the very best bochurim in South Fallsburg, in Mir Yerushaliyim, in Lakewood etc.

Frankly I have never come across such a high percentage of top learners from one high school, as what I experienced in my years in YGMH. I am certain that within the next 10 years some of them will be well known as Rosh Yeshiva or “popular” and “distinguished” Ramim.

Gentlemen, I’m sure the Montreal Yeshiva, suits the local community just fine. My point however is that it’s viewed elsewhere without much prestige. The same goes for other Montreal kehilla, old guard, establishments like MK. While I understand their minds is the best place in the world with the best everything and lacks absolutely nothing. However, for someone who’s not from there, Montreal is a backward Chelm type of community that is a throwback 20 years behind the communities in New York or Lakewood, or Toronto, or Denver or any other thriving Jewish community in North America. The Montreal European flavor as a poster mentioned earlier is like the pre world war II Europe where Jews were second class citizens in a place where the goyinm hated their very existence, you can keep the European flavor. So that is why I was recommending someone who’s not from there, to think very carefully before moving there. Don’t be so shocked and taken aback. Simply open your eyes and look around you. I love my fellow simple yidden. I just don’t think that Montreal, the homophobic racist, freezing, anti semitic, backwards, insular, and above all, mediocre, is a place for someone to move to.