For over 50 years A.H. Goldberg was a major force in the Calgary Jewish community. He was active in B'nai B'rith, and served as President of the Talmud Torah for 25 years. He was a Life Trustee of the Jewish Community Building, and helped establish the Beth Israel Congregation.

      He represented Calgary's Jews at many national and international Zionist conferences.

      Marcia Goldberg was equally committed to Jewish community service. She became Secretary and later President of the Ladies' Aid Society, which became the Calgary section of the National Council of Jewish Women.

      Marcia was also a pillar of the Hadassah women's organization.

      After serving as President of the local Hadassah chapter, she was elected a national Vice President in 1930. She hosted Hadassah's Medical Aid Tea for a forty-year span: the event is still known as the Marcia Goldberg Tea.

      Henry and Marcia Goldberg hosted many fund-raising events, and endowed many Jewish charities in Canada and Israel.

      H. Goldberg died in 1975 at 89. Marcia passed away in 1985. After her death her family and friends created the Marcia Goldberg Memorial Scholarship through Hadassah-Wizo. Established in perpetuity, the scholarship carries on the spirit of Marcia's commitment.

      As related by Mrs. Goldberg:

      "I was born Mary Zeidel and was raised in a Polish village called Lopiennik, near Lublin. My parents were also born in Poland in a village called Faselvitz.

      "So, in 1926, my cousins sent me a ticket. I left my family to go to Canada, not knowing that I would never see them again. They all perished in the Holocaust.

      "It took three weeks to reach Canada. I travelled by boat and train and finally arrived in Eyre, Saskatchewan, to my cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Max Klein and their family. They were happy that I came. I had to help in the house and with the farm chores like milking cows, tending to the chickens, etc. It wasn't easy. I also went to school there. The school was about three miles away, so I had to go with horse and buggy. I stayed there for three years, then I decided to move on.

      "I wanted to go to a city, so I came to Calgary in December, 1929. I didn't know anybody here. But my cousins, the Kleins, knew a family by the name of Rootman. Sam Mozeson met me at the CNR station when I arrived. I took up residence with the Rootmans.

      "I had to start looking for a job and got one with Pat Burns and Co. making wieners at 25 cents an hour. After a few months I got a 2½ cent raise. I worked there for one year and then was laid off, so I had to get another job. I found one at the Clifton Grocery and Confectionery store for $10 per week.

      "Bob Hurov was my boss. After I worked there for several months, Bob and I fell in love and I married my boss in 1931. We had four children: Ronnie Hurov, Harvey Hurov, Shirley Goldberg and Estelle Bleet.

      "Unfortunately, Bob passed away in 1947. I was left with my four beautiful children, the oldest being 13 and youngest 2½. I was working hard and long hours in my store to raise and educate my children.

      "After my children grew up, I met Louis Goldberg (whose son Arnold married my daughter Shirley). We were married in 1966 and, after eleven years of our wonderful life together, Louis passed away in 1977.

      "My children are now married and I have 13 grandchildren, who give me much happiness."

      The pioneering Goldenberg family escaped from a pogrom in Odessa, Russia, and arrived in New York in 1899. They then went on to Montreal where father Solomon, mother Sema and children Benjamin, Katy, Annie, Jack, Izzy and Mary established a home.

      They decided to move to Calgary in 1903. Solomon was at first a quarryman at Sandstone, 15 miles south of Calgary. He became a harness maker, and finally homesteaded at Trochu, Alberta, along with twelve other Jewish farmers.

      Summers were hard and long on the farm, and winters were spent in Calgary at the Grand Saddlery and Harness Shop on 8th Avenue E.

      Solomon and his son Benjamin each had a 160-acre homestead and sharecropped the farm until 1955. The family grew and branched out with sons and daughters-in-law remaining close to the family's roots in Calgary. Solomon and his family were early members of Rumsey's Beth Jacob synagogue.

      The Goldenberg saddlery in Calgary was a meeting place for new arrivals and generally was a place where business was conducted with a handshake and verbal commitment.

      Ranchers and farmers regularly visited the old store and soon a second-hand business flourished from this establishment. Farm tools, furniture and household goods were traded. The walls sagged and the floor rolled from the weight of the inventory.

      Both Solomon and Sema lived to a ripe old age - each received a congratulatory telegram from the Royal Monarchy upon reaching 100 years of age.

      Harry Goresht was born in Kishenev, Bessarabia in 1907. He came to Canada in 1927, following his two brothers who had emigrated a few years earlier.

      At first, Harry worked with his brothers at the Jewish farm colony near Rumsey. He came to Calgary in 1928 to work as a delivery man at Feivel Rosenthal's bakery, and in 1930 married the boss' daughter, Rachel Rosenthal.

      By 1935 Harry Goresht owned Harry's Cart and Transfer at 331 - 8th Avenue S.E. Harry and Rachel lived in back of the store with their two children: Ida, born in 1931 and Sam, born in 1935.

      In 1946 Harry bought the Sunrise Bakery from his father-in-law Feivel Rosenthal, changing the name to City bakery. This business still stands at 906 - 1st Avenue N.E.

      When Harry retired, he became active with the Chevra Kadisha, serving several years as President and later as Honorary President. Harry Goresht died in 1983 at the age of 76.

      Harry and Rachel's children both became active in the Calgary Jewish community. Ida married Phil Pomerance and Sam married Ann Hanen. There are four grandchildren.