The children of Dora and Harry Isenstein are Sarah Donin of Winnipeg: Lill Simkin, Palm Springs, Saul Isenstein, Calgary, and Pearl Kass of Miami, (Saul's twin, Simon Isenstein, died in 1944 while serving with the Canadian Army in Italy).

      Harry retired from the CPR in 1956. He and Dora enjoyed their retirement years until her death in 1981. Harry died in 1982.

      Born in Evzvelk, Lithuania, in 1878, Shaie Jaffe came to Calgary in 1912.

      His family has previously settled in Minneapolis where his father had become Chief Rabbi. Shaie and his wife Leah (nee Geffen) had three children - Rose, Sarah and Irving (a musician who in the Big Band era played with Les Brown and Fred Waring).

      Shaie founded and operated Jaffe's Book and Music Exchange - long a Calgary landmark on 8th Avenue E. Book lovers regularly met at Jaffe's, where they could find material ranging from ten-cent paperbacks to rare books.

      An ardent Zionist, Shaie Jaffe was a founder of the Hebrew School and subsequently served a long term as its President. He was also Chairman of the education committee and in this capacity acted as examiner of the students.

      Leah Jaffe died in 1934. In later years Shaie Jaffe married Rose Rabinovitz (1889-1779) who was also actively involved in the community.

      She was a founding member of the Ladies' Aid Society, and served as President when it became affiliated as Calgary's first Hadassah Chapter.

      Colourful Rose Jaffe was know for her prize-winning, hand-painted china and creation of artistic hats.

      Shaie Jaffe passed away in 1975.

      It was circa 1903 when the Joffe brothers, Sam and Joe, went to New York from Seraj, Russia and opened a confectionery store.

      After about a year they were persuaded by the CPR ads to "go west" to Calgary. They were provided with free transportation and the promise of food for the trip, which turned out to be bread and sardines. The winter of 1906 was bitterly cold. They wanted to go back to New York but had no funds to do so.

      Joe went to work laying the cobblestones for the 2nd Street E. railway underpass. He then worked as a painter in Banff where he painted the Mount royal Hotel.

      The brothers then opened two "Joffe Brothers" clothing stores in Calgary. In 1931 Joe opened Garden Clothing.

      Sam Joffe travelled back to Russia and brought back his bride, Ellen (Elka) Chaikin. Another Seraj family, the Malkins, came to Calgary about 1910 and Joe married Ruth Malkin.

      Joe, an ardent Zionist, was immediately active in the small Jewish community. With others, he planted hedges down the hillside at the Jewish Cemetery to keep the land from sliding. For his contributions to the Beth Jacob Synagogue, Joe was given a lifetime seat of honour. Ruth Joffe died in 1944, Joe in 1963.

      Two Joffe brothers came later to Canada - Noah (1893-1961) and Leo (1895-1959). They all had stores, at one time or another, in the Drumheller area and later in Calgary.

      Noah married Hattie Diamond (1902-1982) and Leo's wife was Bella Levitt (1904-1973).

      Please see under "Cohen and Karsh Families".

      Pearl and Jacob Karasik came to Calgary in 1922 to join their daughter Chana and her husband Henry Belkin. They left two married sons and two married daughters in Russia.

      Their youngest son Bennie, who was 16, came with them. One of the daughters, Rosa, later came to Calgary with her husband Harry Kipnes.

      Jacob opened a grocery store, called Farmer's Grocery, at 721 - 2nd Avenue N.E., which he operated until his death in 1946. Pearl died in 1963.

      Rose had four children: Edith, Albert, Arnold and Irving. She died in 1957.

      Bennie Kerr married the former Ethel Bell (Bellastotsky) and they had three sons: Allan, Morley and Alvin. For many years Bennie worked with his father-in-law as a cattle buyer. In 1953 he opened his own meat wholesale, Kerr and Sons.

      He retired c.1981 and he and Ethel moved to Vancouver, where they remained until she died in 1990. Bennie then returned to Calgary, where he died just five months later.

      Allan Kerr married Naomi Belkin and they have four children (see Belkin family) and five grandchildren. Allan left the meat business to open a travel agency in 1970, and has been involved in various aspects of the travel business since that time.

      Morley Kerr remained in the meat business until his father retired. Since that time he has been involved in paper recycling. Morley married Eta Pearlman and they have three children: Sheryl (Brian Laughlin), Karen and Ian.

      Alvin Kerr married Sally Greber. They live in Toronto and have two children: Shannon (Bryan Ortmanns) and Ryan.

      Izzy Kesnick, born in 1881, moved to Calgary from England in the early 1900's. He was a chocolate maker and his excellent wares soon became well known. His store, Kesnick's confectionery at 11th Street and 14th Avenue W., was a favourite Calgary meeting place.

      His wife Esther's close family relationship with R.B. Bennett dated well before the local lawyer became Prime Minister. Connections that Esther was able to make helped her obtain jobs for many Jewish persons.

      Izzy and Esther Kesnick had a son, David, and a daughter, Vitty (Victoria), who became a pianist of some note: Israel Kesnick died in 1969.

      Ruchel and Abush Kline came to Calgary from Russia in 1906, after spending a short time in Denver.

      The Colorado climate did not agree with Ruchel. Their nephew Ben Katchen (father to Mire, Polly and Sam) was in the cattle business in Calgary, so they chose to move here.