Isaac Gottschalk Ascher

Isaac Gottschalk Ascher born in Naugard, Prussia in 1795 was a wholesale jeweller, and died in Montreal 7 February 1891.

He married Rachel and had four sons and one daughter. Jacob Ascher born in Plymouth, Isidor Gordon Gottschalk Ascher born in Glasgow, Albert born in London, Eva born in Montreal, Hyman born in Montreal.

In 1841 the Ascher family moved to Montreal, Canada from Glasgow via Plymouth, England. They traded as silversmith and wholesale Jewellers until 1890. In 1851 Jacob and Albert moved to Toronto to open a branch of the family business and Father Isaac remained in Montreal.

Albert and Jacob were prominent members of the Jewish community and in 1857 Isaac Ascher who was severely orthodox presented the first Yad, Scroll and Torah ornaments to the young Jewish congregation in Toronto. In presenting this he stipulated that the newly formed congregation must always adhere faithfully to traditional Judaism and never deviate to Reform. The congregation was known as the Holy Blossoms and later changed its name to Holy Blossom. Today the Holy Blossom Temple is a Reform congregation situated in Bathurst St, Toronto.

Isaac's daughter Eva Helen Ascher married Bernard Kortosk in 1868. Bernard was one of the founders of Temple Emanu-El a reform congregation in 1882 and inaugural committee member of the Young Men's Hebrew Benevolent Society when established in 1863 in Montreal. Isidor Gordon Gottschalk Ascher was also a founding member. This society later became Baron de Hirsch Institute and Benevolent Society one of the most important charitable institutions on the continent of North America.