Poetry presents a unique opportunity to tap into our inner experiences and better understand ourselves and each other. In acknowledging differences yet bringing people together, poems can offer a window into nuanced experiences of spirituality, cultural identity, neurodiversity, mental health, and the intricate relationships between these. Poetry can foster empathy, embrace variation, and let us know we’re not alone.

On April 18, you are invited to join us for the launch of Madelaine Caritas Longman’s chapbook, Minder, featuring a poetry reading by Madelaine Caritas Longman, David B. Goldstein and Melanie Power. Arising from the author’s lived experience, Minder explores the nuances of life as a neurodivergent queer Jewish person: how can one build a spiritual practice when one struggles with compulsive prayer? What might community mean to a person on the autism spectrum? How can we hold space for the many possibilities of what neurodiversity, Judaism, and poetry can be?

Join us at 7:00 pm at the Museum of Jewish Montreal for an evening of poetry, food and drink, and stimulating discussion.

Please note that pre-registration is required for all who wish to attend.

About Our Speakers:

Madelaine Caritas Longman is the author of The Danger Model (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2019), which received the Quebec Writers Federation's Concordia University First Book Prize and was longlisted for the Fred Cogswell Award for Excellence in Poetry. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Humanities from Concordia University.

David B. Goldstein is an award-winning poet, critic, and food writer, whose work has appeared in magazines and newspapers across Canada and the US. He is the author of two books of poetry, Lost Originals (2016) and Laws of Rest (2013), both published by Book*Hug. He teaches in the English Department at York University and coordinates its Creative Writing Program.

Melanie Power is the author of Full Moon of Afraid and Craving (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), a book that considers place, family, and belonging. Her work has appeared widely in literary journals, and has been longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize and the Montreal International Poetry Prize.

This is an independent project developed through the Museum of Jewish Montreal’s Microgrants for Creative and Cultural Exploration Program. This program is made possible through the support of the Averbach Family Foundation, the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation, Federation CJA’s Working Together Grant, The Azrieli Foundation, and CANVAS. We would like to thank the Yiddish Book Center for their partnership.

Accessibility: Please note that the upper levels of our building is not accessible to visitors with limited mobility. This event will take place on the ground floor. Our entrance is accessible via ramp.