Harry Isenstein Family
Harry Isenstein was born in 1891 in Aubanakan, a small village in Russia. He came to Calgary on December 3, 1907, with a group of seven “landsmen”. Among them was Sonia Belkin, her cousin Henry W. Belkin, and a brother and sister, Tevie and Elka (Caplan) Hanen.
Harry’s first job in Calgary was in 1908 at the Burn’s packing plant. After a year and a half, he went to work for the CPR, starting as a labourer at 12 cents per hour. The superintendent, J. C. Boyle, took an interest in Harry and railroading “got into his blood”. He advanced to locomotive fireman and eventually to engineer.
In 1911 he helped organize the Jewish Cultural Club. Many of the single young men knew Russian classics and enjoyed intellectual discussion. He also joined a Jewish free-loan association which was formed to help immigrants.
After his marriage to Dora Ashkenazy in 1913, he moved from the General Hospital area to a cottage on 8th Street.
With financial assistance from established immigrants, Isenstein returned to post-revolution Russia in 1922 and brought back a group of 35 people, including his parents and many relatives.
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.
