HELENA — On Wednesday, the Montana Jewish Project welcomed state lawmakers into the historic Temple Emanu-El, Montana's first synagogue.
MJP executive director Rebecca Stanfel says the event aims to "share a taste of Jewish life, culture, and community" with Montana's elected officials.
Legislators, Helena City Commissioners, and the lieutenant governor enjoyed wine and appetizers while listening to Klezmer music from the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe.
During the evening, it was revealed that MJP will receive a 100-year-old Montana legislative book written in Yiddish.
The cultural center is reaching out to legislatures to share with them what they all have in common: a love for Montana.
Stanfel said, "It's much better if you're in a situation where you think 'Senator so-and-so came to our open house and we've heard from so-and-so up in their community that something's going on,' we can email them, and we can have a conversation. It's in the spirit of Montana, and it's also building on the legacy of this historic synagogue. It's a very Montana kind of event in that the relationships and connections you make expand outward."
Stanfel says when legislation is out of session and back in their home districts, MJP will hold smaller group meetings to talk about a range of issues like antisemitism in Montana.
Montana Jewish Project will host bagels and coffee in February to discuss steps to take if a hate crime occurs.
