Nonetheless, Alberta's first permanent Jewish settlers were urban.
Jacob and Rachel Diamond arrived in Calgary in the summer of 1889
and remained for the rest of their lives. Born in Oshmina, Russia,
in 1859, Jacob
emigrated to Canada around 1879. He married
Ontario-born Maria Stoodley, who converted to Judaism and changed
her name to Rachel. Jacob's brothers, William and Phillip,
followed Jacob to Calgary; William later moved to Edmonton and
Phillip to Canmore. Each is considered to be a pioneer of the
Jewish community in his respective locale. Jacob, a peddler,
established a successful liquor business when western prohibition
ended in 1892. Two years later, the Diamond brothers rented
Calgary's Masonic Hall to convene services for the annual high
holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.9
Calgary's Jewish population developed slowly before the turn of
the century and the local press offered little encouragement. For
example, the 1892 Calgary Tribune editorial, quoted earlier,
continued with the following comments:
The cruel treatment experienced by these people in Russia has
excited the deepest sympathy, but it must be remembered that
unbiassed [sic] writers trace to their own unsocial, usurious and
crafty habits more than half the blame for the persecution against
Russian Jews. They are a people apart. They make no alliances with
Christians, and have no dealings with them aside from trade
transactions.10
Calgary's Jewish community grew enormously during the city's
unprecedented pro-World War One boom. In 1901, according to the
national census, there were seven Jews in the small city of 4,000. Ten years later, 613 Jews made up 1.5 per cent of
Calgary's 43,000 citizens. During that first decade of the
century, the key institutions of Jewish life were created in
Calgary. In 1907, Calgary Jews founded the first congregation
in
Alberta (Congregation House of Jacob, named for Jacob Diamond),
established a burial society and a cemetery, and founded the
Calgary Zionist Association. A temporary building served as the
synagogue until an impressive brick edifice was completed in 1911.11 Other social, cultural, religious, and political
institutions followed, including a local council and a Hebrew
school founded in 1912. As more families arrived from Europe, the
Jewish population became a true community, nestling east of
downtown in districts like Victoria Park and in the immigrant
community of Riverside. Broader political involvement began as
early as 1911, when community member Hyman King ran unsuccessfully
for a seat on city council.
The community's growth did not ensure its universal acceptance, as
illustrated by this May 1911 editorial from the Nanton News:
Calgary Jews have organized a political club. It has not yet been
announced what great political principle the organization will
advance, but it is probably to get something for the Jews.
Observation leads one to believe that single-handed the sons of
Jacob will get their share, and then some, of everything within
reach, and if they are going in for team work there will not be
much left for the gentiles. A political organization that is not
held together by some principle can only be held together by
spoils.12