In the 19th century, Calgary was a rapidly growing city, attracting ambitious and talented people from around the world. Among them was Jacob Lyon Diamond, the first Jewish person to settle in the city, who left a remarkable mark on Calgary’s history. In this article on calgaryski, we’ll explore his journey.
A History of Migration
Jacob Lyon Diamond and his brothers were born in a small Belarusian town in 1859. They adopted the surname “Diamond” after moving to Canada. The Diamond brothers were Jewish pioneers in Alberta’s major cities: Jacob in Calgary, William in Edmonton, and Philip in Canmore.
The Diamonds first moved to England. Their motivation was simple and clear: to avoid conscription into the Tsarist army. The brothers immigrated to Canada in 1884. There, Jacob met his future wife, Maria Studley, while she was working as a domestic servant for a Jewish family.
Studley was Canadian. She and Jacob married in 1886 and went on to have five children.
Career and Community Building
In Calgary, Jacob worked as a pawnbroker and also traded in liquor. Additionally, he traded in furs and hides sourced from Indigenous peoples. He later went on to open his own clothing store.
Jacob Diamond and his brothers played a major role in developing the city’s Jewish community and were instrumental in building strong community institutions. For example, just two years after moving to Edmonton, William Diamond founded the city’s first synagogue. In 1894, the Diamond brothers also rented the Masonic Hall in Calgary to hold the first services for the High Holy Days. Jacob’s apartment on 10th Avenue also served as a central meeting place for the Jewish community.
When the daughter of a friend passed away, Jacob Diamond led the community’s effort to find land for the first Jewish cemetery. He also worked on the project to build a synagogue in Calgary. This goal was realized in 1911 with the opening of the Beth Jacob Synagogue. Jacob Diamond himself led the opening ceremony. In 1920, with Jacob’s support, the city’s first Jewish school was also established.
Over the next two decades, Jacob Diamond was retired but remained a prominent community leader. In his retirement, he also worked as a court interpreter, translating between English and Yiddish for Jewish immigrants who faced antisemitism from judges, who often viewed Jewish people as unreliable and dishonest. Jacob Diamond was a generous donor and sponsor for community institutions, and several scholarships were also established in his name.
Death
Jacob Diamond passed away in 1929. His funeral service was conducted by Rabbi Smolensky, Calgary’s first rabbi. He was buried in the cemetery that he had helped establish.
Why Was He Such an Important Figure?
The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a challenging time for immigrants, and this was especially true for Jewish people. In many cities across the country, they faced discrimination. Jewish immigrants were often considered untrustworthy, and their competence in business and public affairs was frequently questioned.
In this context, the city’s first Jewish settlers had a unique mission. Jacob Diamond’s success in business and his active community involvement demonstrated that Jewish people were talented, resilient, and honest. The Diamonds didn’t just contribute to the region’s development; they also helped other immigrants settle in and find their place in a new country.
Diamond acted as a bridge between the Jewish community and the city’s authorities, helping to protect immigrants’ rights and fight discrimination. He became a symbol of resilience and leadership. Thanks to Diamond and his contemporaries, the Jewish community was able to establish itself and thrive despite the social challenges of the era.