“[This digital tour offered an] incredible virtual history of Jewish Hartford! A must-explore for those interested in Jewish Hartford history or simply [the] history of Hartford in the 19th and 20th centuries!” – Virtual tour attendee 

Support from our Federation enables Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford to tell the stories and preserve the history of our region’s Jewish communities. When the pandemic put in-person programs on hold, Federation support helped JHS transform its popular historical tour of Jewish Hartford into a virtual tour. Below, JHS Executive Director Elizabeth Rose describes this fascinating introduction to Hartford’s Jewish history.

“Exploring Jewish Hartford: A Digital Tour” includes an interactive map, stories, and historic images. You can embark on the virtual tour from the comfort and safety of your own home — scrolling through historic photos; watching short videos from historic synagogue sites; reading descriptions and recollections of businesses, parks, and synagogues; or clicking on points on the map to learn more about them. 

The exhibit explores 300 years of history by spotlighting the people, institutions, and neighborhoods that made Jewish Hartford what it is today. The online format offers many added benefits to a traditional, in-person tour; we were able to showcase a wider range of sites and make the content available to a broader audience, including teachers and students.

The virtual tour, also supported by a grant from Connecticut Humanities, has been garnering rave reviews. “Thank you for creating such a comprehensive story of our community!” said one impressed virtual visitor. 

For more information on this and other virtual exhibits, contact JHS at jhsgh@jewishhartford.org. 

Image courtesy of JHS