The presence of Jews in Montbéliard and in the region seems to date back to the 13th century. The expulsions will cause the departure of the Jews from the territory. There is a trace of a mention of a court painter, Solomon the Jew, in the 16th century.

In the spirit of the French Revolution and the emancipation of Jews from France, mainly from Alsatian families, are settling in the region again.

Thus, in 1793, Montbéliard again welcomed Jews. They will be 89 listed in 1826, then 221 in 1876. During the 19th century, Jews gathered in private accommodation or rented rooms to celebrate their worship. The Montbéliard  synagogue  was inaugurated on November 29, 1888.

Few Jews remain in Montbéliard today, but some residents are making great efforts to ensure that services are still celebrated there.

Since September 2025, a street in Montbéliard has been named after a survivor of the roundup that took place in the city on 24 February 1944. The street was named during the lifetime of Pierre-Michel Kahn, the last witness and survivor of this roundup. The street is located in the Hauts du Près-la-Rose neighbourhood.

A ceremony was held in the presence of Kahn and his family, as well as the mayor of Montbéliard, Marie-Noëlle Biguinet, and the deputy mayor of Ludwigsburg in Germany, Andrea Schwarz. Aged 11 in 1944, he was saved by the resistance fighter Lou Blazer, who was honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations in 1966.

Source: L’Est Républicain