Tuesday 3 November 2015

BINYUMIN DUBOVSKI (BENJAMIN DUBOVSKY)

BINYUMIN DUBOVSKI (BENJAMIN DUBOVSKY) (January 7, 1888-September 1, 1963)
            He was born in Talne, Ukraine.  He received a Jewish and a general education.  In 1905 he emigrated to the United States and continued his education there, studying at colleges and universities.  He was a practicing medical doctor.  He began writing in 1906.  For many years he contributed to Morgn zhurnal (Morning journal) in New York, in which he published a piece each week on medical issues.  He also contributed to: Der amerikaner (The American), Nyu-yorker vokhnblat (New York weekly newspaper), Forverts (Forward), and Tog (Day) in New York, and other serials as well.  In more recent years he has been a regular contributor to Fraye arbeter shtime (Free voice of labor) in New York, in which he has published essays and polemics on Jewish religion, Bible criticism and philosophical treatises, as well as articles on general political and community matters.  He authored Doktor bukh (Doctor’s book), in which he treated in popular language and popular format various and sundry medical questions, illnesses, and their prevention.  The book was comprised of four volumes: (1) Krankeytn un vi zikh fun zey oystsuhitn (Illnesses and how to guard against them) (New York, 1921), 311 pp.; (2) Muter un kind (Mother and child) (New York, 1921), 179 pp.; (3) Eyder der doctor kumt (Before the doctor comes) (New York, 1921), 147 pp.; (4) Der mentsh un zayn kerper (Man and his body) (New York, 1921), 187 pp.  He was also the author of popular medical books: Di tsuker krankeyt (dayebitiz), a populere erklerung vegn dizer vayt-farshpreyter "idisher" krankheyt (The sugar illness, diabetes, a popular explanation of this widespread “Jewish” illness) (New York, 1922), 90 pp., second enlarged edition (New York, 1944), 137, 39 pp.; Mogn-krankeytn (Stomach ailments) (New York, 1922), 74 pp.; Di kristlekhe visnshaft un ire refues (Christian science and its remedies) (New York, 1930), 59 pp.; Gezunt un lebn, koyekh ligt in shisl (Healthy and life, strength lies in a bowl)[1] (New York, 1938), 286 pp.; and Gezunt af di eltere yorn (Healthy in old age) (New York, 1943), 190, 2 pp.  And, in the realm of popular pamphlets: Koyekh ligt in shuts (There is strength in protection); Harts krankheyṭn: urzakhn, simonim un behandlungen (Heart diseases: Causes, symptoms, and treatments) (New York, 1945), 20 pp.; Influenza, di grip (Influenza, the grippe) (New York, 1937), 8 pp.; Ṿi zikh oystsuhitn fun a farkilung (How to guard against a cold) (New York, 1937), 7 pp.; Di badayṭung un bahandlung fun a tsu-hoykhn blut-druk (The significance and treatment of high blood pressure) (New York, 1937), 15 pp.; Nirn-krankeytn (Kidney diseases) (New York, 1937), 15 pp.; Vi tsu zayn gezunt un farlengern unzer lebn (How to be healthy and length our life).  He was also a contributor to a number of English-language medical and scientific journals and newspapers.  He published in English, under the name Dr. Benjamin Danniels, a work on the lives of Christians, Jesus, Jews and Gentiles: The True Story of Their Relationship as Recorded in the Bible (New York, 1948), 300 pp., which aroused a considerable polemic.  Under his own name, he wrote the pamphlets: The March of Civilization (n.p., 1934), 9 pp.; Peace and Survival (n.p., 1942), 15 pp.; Eternity; The Universe (New York, 1952), and What Shall We Teach Our Children? (n.p., 1954), among others.  He served as editor of Der dyabetiker (The diabetic), a monthly journal for those interested in the disease (New York, 1930-1932).  He also published under the name Dr. B. Daniels, B. D., and others.  He was living in New York.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 1; Biblyografishe yorbikher fun yivo (Bibliographic yearbooks from YIVO) (Warsaw, 1928); B. Ts. Goldberg, in Tog (New York) (December 21, 1932); Tsvien, in Forverts (New York) (February 4, 1933); A. Ayzman, in Tog (March 26, 1935); Ben-Moyshe, in Byalistoker shtime (New York) (February 1944); Tsvi Kohen, in Fraye arbeter shtime (New York) (February 11, 1955); M. Shuts, in Fraye arbeter shtime (March 1, 1958).



[1] Translator’s note: The reference in the title is to a soup kitchen—JAF.

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