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Family Histories |
Lou Pearlman came to Calgary in 1925 to work for Abe and Ben as the
chemist in the soft drink plant. He had studied medicine for five years but
then switched to biochemistry. As the chemist at Polar Aerated Water
Works, he won awards for his Orange Crush and Seven-up.
In 1930 Lou married Edythe Rosen. They were founding members of
the Calgary I.L. Peretz School. As well, Lou was its Cultural Chairman
and brought to Calgary Yiddish actors, singers, lectures, writers and
musicians. Edythe taught Yiddish and Hebrew folk songs to the students,
and for 42 years played piano for their rehearsals and concerts.
Lou was also involved in B'nai B'rith and the Calgary chapter of
Canadian Jewish Congress. Lou Pearlman died in 1971.
Edythe was a member of National Council of Jewish Women and
Hadassah. She conducted a specialty choir for NCJW, and also conducted
the Beth Israel Choir for the High Holy Days. She held several positions in
Mooter Farein at the Peretz School. She worked with Jewish National
Fund and was an advisor to B'nai B'rith girls.
Lou and Edythe had five children: Naomi (Barney Shatz) Eta (Morley
Kerr), Donna (Emanuel Cohen), Clarice (Dan Ondrack) and Howard, and
nine grandchildren, Naomi passed away in 1994.
Sources: Edythe Pearlman
Rabinovitz (Rabinovici) Family
The Rabinovitz (Rabinovici) family of Vas Louie, Romania, was com-
prised of father and mother Abraham and Toba Bella, six sons and one
daughter. At the turn of the century the five older sons emigrated to
Canada and set up a dry goods store in Calgary. In 1906 they sponsored
their parents, who arrived with daughter Rose (Jaffe) and their preschool
boy Gdalyah (George Robbins).
Abraham, an extremely devout man, was taken into the business but
his main concern was religious observance which he undertook with zeal.
At Succot he constructed and lived in his booth for the entire period and
every feast and fast day was celebrated. In fact, one of the earliest comm-
unity religious services took place in the Rabinovitz home.
The older sons scattered to Edmonton (Velvel), Detroit and other
points.(One son was gassed in a mustard attack during WW I, and subse-
quently died and is buried in the Calgary Jewish Cemetery.) George and
sister Rose stayed in Calgary, where he attended school, and went on to
complete his medical studies.
When starting his practice, George Rabinovitz changed his name to
Robbins. Dr. Robbins, a prominent Eye, ear, Nose and Throat Specialist,
had offices located in the old Greyhound Building for over thirty years.
Sources: JHSSA
Ratchesky Family
As related by Edith Martin Gelmon:
"My grandparents, Louis and Dena Ratchesky and their three young
daughters, Gertie, Lottie and Ida, left Russia just before the turn of the
century.
"Both my grandparents' families lived in the same village for several
generations and owned a small turpentine factory. My grandfather, who
wanted his children to be educated, made sure that a tutor came to their
home and the girls were given lessons at an early age.
"When my grandfather's cousins moved to America he was the only
one left to run the business and operate the factory. My grandfather
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always thought of Russia as his "homeland" and he was reluctant to
leave. However, an unexpected incident changed his mind.
"One hot summer afternoon a group of soldiers galloped into the vil-
lage. They stopped at the Inn to quench their thirst and learned that the
factory in the village belonged to Jews. So they felt it was their duty to
burn it to the ground.
"Left without a livelihood, my grandfather realized how right the oth-
ers had been to get out of Russia. As soon as he was able to make arrange-
ments to go to America, the family left.
"First, there was a long, rough and bumpy ride in a wagon to the rail-
way station;thena train trip to the port where they were able to board
the ship taking them to their new home.
"Traveling steerage for more than twenty days in cramped, crowded
quarters was an experience none of them ever forgot. After they reached
Boston in 1901, my grandfather found some menial work where his lack
of English did not present a problem.
"In 1903 another daughter, Eva, was born. Several years later my
grandfather learned that if he became a homesteader in Alberta he would
be given some land. The idea of being independent and owning a bit of
land was a real incentive. No Jew in Russia was allowed to own land.
"So once again the family packed their belongings, and after a long,
tedious ride by train, they reached Calgary in 1906. They were allocated a
farm near Cochrane, about twenty-five minutes west of the city.
"The land was completely covered in small rocks, and the work of
clearing itd was exhausting. My grandfather's health began to fail, and
after several years, the family left the farm and moved to Calgary. To help
with finances my grandmother Dena made meals for the unmarried men
in the neighborhood.
"Gertie, the eldest daughter, was able to find work as a sales clerk, and
in 1909 Gertie married Morris Martin.
"Later that same year my grandfather, Louis Ratchesky, died at the age
of forty-seven. The following year my grandmother opened a grocery
store on the corner of 6th Avenue and 4th Street E. With the help of her
three younger daughters she was able to manage the business. When the
girls could stay in the store, she often gave Hebrew lessons.
"When Lottie married Phillip Adelberg and moved to Saskatchewan,
the couple persuaded my grandmother and the two younger sisters to
join them. A few years Ida met Charles Margolus, married him and
moved to Edmonton, where they were joined by her mother and Eva.
"Eva worked in Kline's Jewelry store until she married Peter Basin of
Regina and moved there with him.
"Dena Ratchesky was a strong-willed lady. It was of utmost importance
for her to be independent and, with the help of her daughters, she was. In
her later years she visited each of her children and met her grandchildren.
"When she was no longer able to travel it was her wish to move into
the Jewish Old Folks Home in Winnipeg, then the only such facility in
the west.
"Dena Ratchesky died at the age of 72 in 1940. Her children had her
remains brought back to Calgary so that she could be buried near her hus-
band."
Ted Riback Family
Moishe Aaron Riback, who became known as Ted, was born on July 4,1910
in Pueblo, Colorado. His parents were Jacob Riback and Sadie Black. His
brothers and sisters were Alex Riback, Elsie Maerov and Frank Riback. The
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