Episode 10: The Hart family and the Cathedral of the Assumption

"The Hart family, of Jewish origin, left a significant mark on Canada's history. Aaron Hart, the first Jew to settle in Canada after the Conquest, was a merchant and entrepreneur in Trois-Rivières. His lands covered a large portion of the city center. He and Dorothea Judah had four sons and four daughters. Upon Aaron's death, his four sons—Moses, Ezekiel, Alexander, and Benjamin—took over the family businesses. Moses stood out for his entrepreneurial spirit, owning, among other things, a steamboat. Ezekiel was the first Jew elected as a Member of Parliament in 1807, but he was prevented from serving because he could not take the required Christian oath. The brothers Alexander and Benjamin, meanwhile, were involved in property management.

Built in 1854, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Trois-Rivières is the mother church of the diocese. It was completed by Monseigneur Laflèche and later expanded. The cathedral features a neo-Gothic style inspired by the Trinity Church in New York, along with elements from Westminster. Inaugurated in 1858, it remains the tallest building in the city today. It houses 125 stained glass windows by Guido Nincheri and a Casavant organ with 5,751 pipes