On December 20th, 1945, Harry Cohen married Martha Block at the Palliser Hotel. Martha was the only daughter of Peter Block and Rebecca Diamond Block, and was the granddaughter of Canmore Jewish pioneer Philip Diamond. They first met while Martha was a secretary at Warner Brothers.

      Back from the war, the Cohen Brothers continued the expansion of General Distributors. The firm acquired the Canadian distribution rights for the very popular Paper-Mate line.

      Harry maintained his interest in motion pictures. He bought the Crescent and Plaza theatres, later selling them to Sam Slutker. He developed commercial properties, some in partnership with Ted Riback. He and Ralph Kalef opened Calgary's first war surplus stores.

      During the late 1940's the Cohen brothers opened sales branches across Canada. Samuel and Albert went to Winnipeg, where the head office was moved. Joseph managed the firm's Vancouver office; Morley went to Montreal and Chauncey moved General Distributors into Toronto.

      Harry remained in Calgary, where he and Martha began to raise a family. Philip was born in 1950, Cheryl in 1953, Faye in 1955 and David in 1956.

      General Distributors continued to grow, adding the Sony distribution franchise, Saan and Metropolitan stores, and other ventures.

      In June, 1960, Rose and Alex Cohen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

      Harry and Martha Cohen became heavily involved in charitable and arts activities. Harry was Calgary's citizen of the Year in 1960; Golda Meir presented him the State of Israel Medal in 1970. He was frequently honored for his many contributions to the business, cultural and Jewish communities.

      In 1973 Harry Cohen was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Calgary. In 1974 the Governor General presented him with the Order of Canada medal.

      Martha Cohen also received the same accolades - Citizen of the year, a U. of C. Honorary Doctorate and the Order of Canada.

      Harry once stated, "We feel that Calgary is a great city and you've got to do more than just pass through. You've got to become part of the community.

      Dr. Harry Cohen, C.M. died in Calgary in 1990.

      In 1889 Jacob Lyon Diamond and his bride Rachel arrived in Calgary, then a part of the Northwest Territories.

      Jacob's roots were in the village of Oshmana near Vilnius, Russia. His wife came from Pembroke, Ontario; born Maria Stoodley, she took the name "Rachel" when she converted to Judaism.

      His early ears in Canada saw Jacob engaged in various professions from peddling to pawnbroking. Finally he owned a liquor store on 8th Avenue E. before prohibition.

      Jacob Diamond was the area's first Jewish settler and soon became a major influence in the young community. He was an early member of Alberta's first Masonic Lodge, and served on the first executive of the Oddfellows.

      The Diamonds began Calgary's Jewish communal activities. Their 10th Avenue home (between 3rd and 4th Streets S.E.) became the meeting place for the growing Jewish community, the first synagogue, and the forerunner of the Chevra Kadisha.

      Jacob's role in the formation of the House of Jacob was manifold. As chief builder, President for many years, leader of the initial services, and supervisor of kosher meat killing, he was its pillar. He was also instrumental in obtaining land for the first Jewish cemetery.

      His children were Joe, Myers, Rose, Hattie and Dorothy. What Jacob Diamond did in Calgary was closely paralleled by his brother William, who settled in Edmonton in the early 1900's. William Diamond and his wife Elizabeth had one adopted daughter, Ruth. William at one time had a clothing store in Calgary but left his main mark on the Edmonton Jewish community.

      Another brother, Philip, settled in Canmore in 1905, where he operated the Canmore supply company. Philip's wife Rachel died prior to his coming to Canada. The children - Rebecca, Joseph, Sam, Louis, Jacob, Harry and Fanny - later moved to Calgary.

      Early in the century a teen-aged Russian Jew, Chaim Zvi (Max) Eisenstadt, left Minsk with a small group of fellow "free-thinkers" to the freedom and prosperity of the new world. From Ellis Island in New York Max made his way to Calgary about 1910, attracted by the promise of free land in the Canadian West.

      At a picnic of Jewish newcomers in Shouldice Park, a radiant beauty from Gomel, Russia caught his eye. The vivacious and energetic Toba Frankel, who had also come alone to Calgary as a teen, and the now "adult" Max Eisenstadt were soon married, and ultimately became proud parents to four sons: Markus (Max), Aaron (Archie), Louis and Morris.

      Times were not easy, and the Great War, the difficult 1920's, and the Depression saw Max Eisenstadt participate in a number of business ventures, from fur trader to pool-hall operator, from a lumber yard to the scrap metal industry. He ultimately became a prominent grocer in the Riverside area of Calgary, naming his store Max   Sons.

      Max Eisenstadt was a founder of Calgary's first synagogue, House of Jacob, and was on the founding Board of the I.L. Peretz Institute.

      Max and Archie Eisenstadt worked beside their father in the store. Louis became a well-respected artist while battling a childhood ailment, rheumatic fever. Morris was a professional musician, moving to Toronto where he joined the O'Keefe Centre Orchestra and taught clarinet, saxophone and flute at the royal Conservatory of Music.

      In the meantime, Max Eisenstadt began a courtship with Bessie Shapiro, daughter of Solomon and Sonia Shapiro. Max and Bessie were married in 1939 at the I.L. Peretz Institute. For a number of years, Max operated his own store, the Food Nest, on 7th Avenue in downtown Calgary.

      During the Second World War, Max joined a reserve unit of the Canadian Army Field Ambulance but was not called to overseas duty. He and Bessie ran a large grocery store on 17th Avenue w. called the Nu-Way.

      Bessie and Max Eisenstadt had two children: David Michael, born in 1944, and Marcia Ruth, born in 1949. The couple were active in the House of Jacob and later Shaarey Tzedec Congregation, as well as the Peretz School.

      Max and Toba Eisenstadt lived for most of their Calgary years in the Riverside district. Max and Bessie lived in the Scarborough area, while Archie and his wife Virginia lived in the Tuxedo neighbourhood.