SHAYA (SIMON) BELKIN

SHAYA (SIMON) BELKIN (January 16, 1889-May 4, 1969)

He was born in the village of Smalyanke, near Kiev, Ukraine.  Over the years 1907-1909, he lived in the Far East.  In 1911 he emigrated to Canada, and the following year (1912) he published for the first time: a translation of Vlas Doroshevich in Keneder odler (Canada eagle).  Over the years 1915-1916, he contributed to Der veg (The way) in Montreal, as well as Yidisher kemfer (Jewish fighter) and Di tsayt (The times) in New York).  He published articles and feature pieces in English as well.  He was a member of the Zionist socialists in Canada, joining with the Labor Zionists.  He authored: Di poyle-tsien bavegung in kanade, 1904-1920 (The Labor Zionist movement in Canada, 1904-1920) (Montreal, 1956), 280, xvi pp.  Among his pseudonyms: S. Veryorke.  From 1954 he was living in San Leandro, California, where he died.

Sources: B. G. Zak, in Keneder odler (January 24, 1926); Y. Rabinovitsh, in Keneder odler (January 15, 1939).

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 98.]