The WEM & The Vilna Partner for Special Walking Tour, Immigrant Stories

Boston, MA – The West End Museum and The Vilna are teaming up for a special tour of the historic synagogue and the West End neighborhood on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 10:30am. The event begins with refreshments on the patio at Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips Street, Boston.

The Vilna Shul was a bustling synagogue and hub for Jewish immigrants in the early 1900s. Inside, participants will see Jewish folk murals discovered under lays of paint during recent renovations. The synagogue closed in 1985 and reopened a decade later with a new vision.

“Through concerts, author talks, film screenings, art exhibits, museum tours, adult learning and more, The Vilna gives voice and meaning to the histories and experiences of Boston’s immigrants and newcomers,” said Dalit Horn, Exec Director at The Vilna.

Next, the tour will head outside and around the West End, which attracted thousands of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century.  Highlights will include the home of Annie Londonderry, a Jewish woman who cycled around the world, and the Old West Church, the former Boston Public Library branch that led Jewish programming.

“We’ll talk about the neighborhood culture and why Jewish people came to the West End and why they ultimately left,” said West End Museum Dir. Sebastian Belfanti.

To learn more about this event – and to register – click HERE.  For media photos of The Vilna, click HERE.

About The West End Museum: The West End Museum is undergoing extensive renovations following a devastating flood this winter.  The Museum is offering regular walking tours and other outdoor and online programming. Learn more at www.thewestendmuseum.org.

About The Vilna Shul: 

The Vilna, located on historic Beacon Hill, is the last-remaining immigrant era synagogue building in Boston and now serves as a center for Jewish culture and communal engagement. We offer opportunities to connect and explore one’s culture, experience the arts and engage in big Jewish ideas. Getting to The Vilna is easy and accessible by car and public transportation. Validated parking is available for $5. Please visit the directions and parking page on its website for details.