DOVID KIRSHENBOYM

DOVID KIRSHENBOYM (b. November 1, 1902)

            He was born in Solets (Solec), Radom district.  He studied at the Novominsk yeshiva in Minsk-Mazovetsk.  In 1921 he emigrated to Toronto.  He received ordination into the rabbinate in 1926 and from 1928 was a rabbi in London, Ontario.  From 1923 he was contributing to Toronto’s Idisher zhurnal (Jewish journal), Tribune (Tribune), Kanader nayes (Canadian news), Keneder odler (Canadian eagle) in Montreal, and Idishe velt (Jewish world) in Cleveland.  His books include: Fun unzer gaystiger kharifes (From our spiritual acuity) (New York: Pardes, 1937), 2 vols.; Shifen afn yam (Ships at sea) (London, Ontario, 1940), 93 pp.; Vos iz algemeyner tsienizm? (What is general Zionism?) (London, Ontario, 1945), 16 pp.; Fun di khsidishe oytsres, a zamlung fun rebishe toyre-vertlakh, mayselakh, mesholim un glat “mile di-bedikhusa” (From the Hassidic treasures: a collection of the rebbes’ Torah aphorisms, tales, fables, and simple “witticisms”) (New York: Pardes, 1948), 574 pp. + 15 pp.; and further books in English.  In 1948 there appeared a celebratory volume: Harav dovid kirshenboym, tsu der dersheynung fun zayn ṿerk “Fun di khsidishe oytsres” un tsu zayn 20 yorike firershaft in london, ont. (Rabbi David Kirshenbaum, on the publication of his work Fun di khsidishe oytsres and his twenty years of leadership in London, Ont.) (London, Ontario), 30 pp. in Yiddish, 10 pp. in English.  His pen names include: Dovid Yoysefzohn, Dovid Perlman, and A Kurover.

Sources: Mortkhe Ginzburg, in Keneder odler (Montreal) (November 12, 1940); Yankev Leshtshinski, Forverts (New York) (January 4, 1959); Arn Tsaytlin, in Tog-morgn-zhurnal (New York) (February 25, 1959).

Yekhezkl Lifshits