Montana's Jewish Roots

In August 2022, the Montana Jewish Project reacquired the historic Temple Emanu-El and returned Montana’s first synagogue to Jewish community ownership for the first time in 87 years. We could not have accomplished this without incredible community support.
As we all worked to make our shared dream a reality, we discovered that, as beautiful and important as Temple Emanu-El is, the Montana Jewish Project is so much more than a building. We are anchored in the rich and diverse history of Jewish life in Montana, and we are preserving this 1891 synagogue as a permanent home for generations to come.
Now, through community gatherings in Helena, online, and across Montana, our Jewish community center in Temple Emanu-El is working collaboratively to find ways to bring people together to learn, engage with our traditions, and create a Montana-wide Jewish community that is resilient and strong.
We believe we are working in the same spirit as the founders of Temple Emanu-El, who brought together the Jewish community and helped build the Montana we all share.