FISHL-BER RAVITSKI

FISHL-BER RAVITSKI (December 8, 1892-August 16, 1940)

            An author of fables and children’s poetry, he was born in Tshekhotshinek (Ciechocinek), Poland.  He grew up in Vlotslavek (Włocławek).  He studied in yeshiva, later at a Berlin polytechnical school.  He was a manufacturer.  From 1916 he was publishing fables in: Lodzer togblat (Lodz daily newspaper), Vlotslaveker shtime (Voice of Włocławek), Dos folk (The people), Haynt (Today), Moment (Moment), Y. M. Vaysenberg’s Yudishe zamelbikher (Jewish collections), Folkstsaytung (People’s newspaper), and Literarishe bleter (Literary leaves), among other serials.  He published poetry in children’s magazines.  He also composed parodies, sketches, and humorous one-act plays.  In 1936 “Di yidishe bande” (The Jewish gang) in Warsaw performed his stage scene Rekrutn (Recruits) and in Vilna the Dzhigan-Shumakher Theater put on his Shakhne, vu loyfstu? (Shakhne, where are you running off to?).  His works include: Mesholim (Fables) (Warsaw: Koykhes, 1929), 112 pp.; A zing a shpil, far kinder (Sing, play, for children) (Warsaw, 1935), 70 pp.  He died in Dachau.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Y. B. Tsipur, in Literarishe bleter (Warsaw) 39 (1929); Meyer Kutshinski, in Tsukunft (New York) 9 (1957); A. Polushok, Vlotslavek un umgegnt (Włocławek and environs) (Tel Aviv, 1967), pp. 473-80; Yeshurin archive, YIVO (New York).

Ruvn Goldberg