MONTREAL — Low-income or isolated members of the Jewish community will be able to enjoy festive Rosh Hashanah dinners free of charge at 10 locations.

MADA, the largest kosher food bank and soup kitchen in Montreal, is co-ordinating the project with several community organizations and private sponsors.

The dinners will be served on both nights of the holiday, in what MADA director Yossi Drihem describes as a dignified atmosphere.

The effort follows on the success of free Passover seders offered at seven locations this spring, which were attended by hundreds of people of all ages.

For Rosh Hashanah, MADA is preparing to serve a total of more than 1,200 guests each night with the help of volunteers.

The locations are: MADA’s headquarters in Plaza Côte des Neiges, Federation CJA’s Gelber Conference Centre, Congregation Chevra Kadisha in Snowdon; in Côte St. Luc, Caldwell Residences, Chabad in Cavendish Mall, and MADA’s new soup kitchen at 5499 Robert Burns Ave.; Chabad NDG at 4330 Girouard Ave.; in Ville St. Laurent at 265 Alexis Nihon Blvd.; and on the West Island, at Chabad Kirkland and the federation’s West Island branch in Dollard des Ormeaux.

The community-wide Passover seders and Rosh Hashanah dinners are the first projects of their kind undertaken by MADA, which serves meals 365 days a year at its main kitchen.

Volunteers will be on hand at each location to serve the food and provide entertainment, and rabbis and cantors will conduct the proceedings.

“We learned from the Passover experience how great the need is,” Drihem said. Many of the guests are referred by social service agencies and rabbis.

Registration is required; call 342-4969.