Rosenthal Family
Fivel (Frank) Rosenthal was born in Bershit, Kamenis-Podolsk, Russia in 1879. In 1924 he escaped the Bolshevik pogroms and (after being betrayed by an agent of the Romanian government and spending six months in prison) emigrated to Calgary.
At first he lived with an orthodox Jewish family. In 1926 his wife Yenta (Eva, born in 1881 in Kamenis-Podolsk) arrived with their five children, and they lived at 234 -4th Street N.E.
Fivel, later known as Frank, was a baker all his adult life. From 1925 to 1927 he worked at Calgary Bakery,906 – 1st Avenue N.E. From 1928 to 1930 he operated Calgary Bakery. He and his family lived above the store. Eva worked with him in the bakery.
From 1932 to 1936 Fivel Rosenthal was employed as a baker at Workingman’s Bakery, and in 1937 he took over the business, changing the name to Sunrise Bakery. At this time the family residence was at 219 – 7A Street N.E.
The family moved in 1940 to their permanent home at 203 – 8th Street N.E. Fivel operated the Sunrise Bakery until his retirement in 1946. He then sold the bakery to his son-in-law Harry Goresht, but he continued working there as a baker for another few years.
Fivel, an original member of the Jewish Bakers’ Association of Calgary, received his naturalization papers in 1936. He was a dedicated member of the Beth Jacob Synagogue.
The five children were: Annie (b.1908), Rachel (1910), Sophie (1913), Sara (1916), and Dave (1918). They attended school and worked in the bakery each day before and after school.
Annie worked in a candy store during 1926-1927, was employed at Sheinin’s and worked at Ontario Laundry from 1928-1932. In 1932 she married Archie Wyne and they had one child, Harold.
In 1928-1929 Rachel was an apprentice at R.L.Garbet, Furrier. In 1930, while working at the Bridgeland Corner Store, she met and married Harry Goresht. They had two children, Ida (Phil Pomerantz) and Sam Goresht (Ann Hanen).
Sophie worked at Sheinin’s in 1929 and was a clerk at the St. Regis Confectioneries in 1930, the year she married Percy Fishman. They had three children: Helen (Goldenberg), Mollie (Gladstone) and Mel Fishman (Deana Shuster).
Sara was employed by Harry Sheftel at the City Hall Market. In 1939 she married Julius (Ziggy) Bleviss. They had four children: Bella (1940-1989) Morris (Margaret Hendler), Joey and Linda (George Van Wilde Rode).
Dave Rosenthal worked in the Royalties oilfields in 1937, and as a baker from 1938 to 1940. In 1941 he enlisted in the RCAF. A Flying Officer, his bomber was shot down over Germany in 1944, and he became a prisoner of war. He returned safely to Calgary and married Mitzi in 1953. They had two children, Harry and Jayda. Dave works as a realtor.
Fivel (Frank) Rosenthal died in 1963 and Yenta (Eva) in 1971.