Fonds jhse-76 - Eva Shoctor Gorasht fonds

Eva Sarah Shoctor was born in Rashkov, Ukraine on January 13, 1912. She came to Edmonton in 1920, accompanied by her mother, Nechama (Naomi), brother Eddie, and grandparents, Hodel and Isser Shochetman. They came to Edmonton to join her father, Morris Shoctor, who had come over in 1916. They settled on 98th and later 95th Street. Eva attended Alex Taylor and McCauley Schools, and later the Talmud Torah, located in the basement of the original Beth Israel Synagogue on 95th St. She later attended Victoria Composite High School, and later completed a two-year business course at McDougal High School. Her first job was at the Army and Navy Department Store. She also worked for her father and brother Eddie at Western Metal and Junk, the family scrap business on 97th Street. Eva spent her whole life in business, owning and operating several small business of her own, and with her husband, Alex Gorasht. Alex and Eva married in 1937. Alex had come to Canada from Romania in 1924 to settle on a Montefiore colony in Southern Saskatchewan. The Gorashts lived in both Edmonton and Calgary, operating small businesses and apartment buildings. They were lifelong members of the Beth Israel Synagogue, and Eva was a founding member of the Beth Israel Sisterhood, of which she served as President twice. She was as well the first female member of the Synagogue Board, later becoming a Life Honourary Member. Alex served as a Board member, treasurer and trustee. Eva was also a member of Na'amat/Pioneer Women, National Council of Jewish Women and Edmonton Hadassah-WIZO. She and Alex were generous supporters of Jewish charities, and of the Citadel Theatre, founded by her brother Joseph. Alex and Eva had no children. Alex died in 1992, Eva died on November 16, 2002.