Abraham Chetner Family
Abraham Cheterener (later shortened to Chetner) arrived in Canada about 1912 from Bessarabia to join his parents, two sisters and three brothers at the Montefiore colony near Sibbald in Eastern Alberta.
He had his own homestead and dedicated one corner of his land for use as a community synagogue. The colony was on very poor land and most Jewish farmers left the area in the 1920’s, many going to California.
Abe Chetner’s exodus from the homestead was sped by a fire in which he was seriously injured. A friend, Harry Goresht, was able to drive him to Calgary for treatment. He was hospitalized for many months, but survived.
In 1926 Abraham Chetner married Rachel Hinda Caplan (her family’s name was originally Lechavitsky). Rachel had originally come to the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, area from Shedrin, Russia, with her parents in 1923. They met while she was a clerk in Sam Hanen’s grocery store on 12th Avenue E.
Rachel’s older brothers Alex (later married to Elka Hanen) and Shepsel Caplan (Rifka), and her older sisters Mary (Velvel Sanderson) and Henya (Chaim Caplan), had come several years earlier. At one time her brother Shepsel Caplan was Calgary’s shochet.
Abe Chetner’s sisters were Clara (Morris Austin) and Minnie (Mr. Berger). His brothers were Israel, Dave and Nate Chetner. Abe and Clara were devoted to Jewish education, ardently supporting the Talmud Torah and Zionist causes.
Abe and Rachel Chetner had three sons: Dov (married to Arlein Hoffman), Jack (Sylvia Dattner) and David (Glenda Binsky).
Dov and David live in Calgary. Jack Chetner was for 25 years the principal of the Edmonton Hebrew School. There are 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Abe and Dave Chetner ran a second-hand store, Chetner Bros., at 231 – 8th Avenue E. for many years. Abe Chetner passed away in 1984. Rachel Chetner, at 96, still lives in Calgary.
