Discover the JPL
Celebrating Jewish heritage, inspiring new ideas, and connecting communities since 1914.
Who We Are
The Jewish Public Library is more than a collection of books—it’s a vibrant hub of learning, culture, and community in the heart of Montreal. We celebrate Jewish heritage while embracing new ideas, offering programs, events, and resources for all ages. We provide a space where knowledge is shared, creativity is nurtured, and connections flourish. Whether you’re here to explore, study, or simply be part of our community, the JPL is a welcoming home for every voice.
Who We Are
The Jewish Public Library is more than a collection of books—it’s a vibrant hub of learning, culture, and community in the heart of Montreal. We celebrate Jewish heritage while embracing new ideas, offering programs, events, and resources for all ages. We provide a space where knowledge is shared, creativity is nurtured, and connections flourish. Whether you’re here to explore, study, or simply be part of our community, the JPL is a welcoming home for every voice.
Our Founder:
Reuben Brainin
Reuben Brainin was a Hebrew writer, biographer, critic and Zionist leader. Born in Lyady, Belorussia in 1862, Brainin traveled to Moscow, Vienna, and New York, before landing in Montreal in 1912. While working here as editor of the Keneder Adler, a prolific Yiddish daily newspaper, he became co-founder of the Jewish Public Library and People’s University. Brainin stayed on as President of the library until returning to New York in 1916, where he remained until his death. Though his time in Montreal was short, Brainin left a lasting mark on the Jewish community through his foundational work within the local academic, press, and literature worlds.
Influential Founder:
Yehuda Kaufman
Yehuda Kaufman was a Jewish scholar, researcher, journalist and teacher who lived in Montreal from 1913 to 1917. While studying at McGill University in 1913, Kaufman recruited the support of Reuben Brainin — then-editor of the Keneder Adler Jewish daily newspaper — to help found the Jewish Public Library and People's University. During his time in Montreal, Kaufman travelled regularly to booksellers in the United States to purchase older canonical works, rabbinics, and Hebrew grammars: the foundation of our current-day Rare Books Collection.
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