SHEVEKH VOLKOVSKI

SHEVEKH VOLKOVSKI (b. January 18, 1872)

            He was born in Molodetshne (Maladziečna), Vilna region.  He received a traditional Jewish education, studying secular subject matter and foreign languages as well.  In 1891 he moved to Cracow, where he lived all of his life.  He was influenced by the Langenscheidt method for learning languages by correspondence, and he began several years before WWI to publish in Cracow similar Yiddish-language learning synopses for Hebrew, Polish, German, and Ukrainian, from which there came to be known: Hebreishe unterrikhts-brif (Hebrew letters for self-instruction) in 32 booklets in large format, “arranged so that one may learn without a teacher”; Poylish-yudish unterrikhts-brif (Polish-Yiddish letters for self-instruction), “for a grounding to learn the Polish language in a short time and with little cost.  Plan and system of Sh. V. worked out from an academic collegium under the supervision of the esteemed Polish critic and author, Mr. Wilhelm Feldman, edited by the well-known monthly journal Kritika,” in 32 booklets, large format; Hebreish-daytshe unterrikhts-brif (Hebrew-German letters for self-instruction); Daytshe unterrikhts-brif (German letters for self-instruction), 10 booklets (publication was cut off by WWI).  Other books: Hasafa (The language), “Hebrew textbook for adult beginners,” with a dictionary of 3,000 Hebrew words, translated into Yiddish, Polish, and German; Rekhenbukh (Arithmetic book), “for self-instruction for all manner of calculating what is necessary for everyone and especially for merchants” (Cracow, 1925), 64 pp.  Aside from these textbooks, he published a pamphlet entitled Likute rashi (Rashi anthology), a collection of tales from Rashi drawn from Genesis in Rashi script; a pamphlet entitled Temunot vetipusim (Images and types) (1907/1908), 92 pp.  He also published articles in Hamitspe (The watchtower) in Cracow and Maḥazike hadat (Strengthening the faith) in Lemberg.

Sources: Y. Anilovitsh and M. Yafe, in Shriftn far psikhologye un pedagogik (Writings on psychology and pedagogy), vol. 1 (Vilna, 1933), pp. 465-528; G. Bader, Medina veḥakhameha (The state and its sages) (New York, 1934), see index; M. Naygreshl, in Fun noentn over (New York) 1 (1955), p. 339.

Leyzer Ran