MOYSHE LOKETSH

MOYSHE LOKETSH (MOSHE LOKIEC) (b. January 21, 1911)

            He was born in Warsaw, Poland.  He lived in Kiev, Ukraine (1917-1920), and thereafter returned to Warsaw, studying painting in a school run by ORT (Association for the Promotion of Skilled Trades); and then, 1929-1930, he studied at the seminar for Jewish studies at the People’s University at the “Kultur-lige” (Culture league).  In the Bleter funem seminar far yidishistik (Pages from the seminar for Jewish studies) at the People’s University (Warsaw, 1931), he published: “Dray gebitn fun der vort-kunst” (Three realms of the verbal art), the sketch “A portret” (A portrait), and an article on the seminar.  When WWII broke out, he fled Warsaw and found himself in Komi in northern Russia.  In 1946 he returned to Warsaw and for a time ran the painting cooperative “Stolbud.”  In 1947 he moved to Brazil and settled in Rio de Janeiro where he was a furniture manufacturer.  He published poetry (using the name “Moyshe Lamed”) in: Unzer shtime (Our voice) in São Paolo; Idishe prese (Jewish press) in Rio; Unzer tsayt (Our time) in New York; and elsewhere.  His poetry was also included in the anthology Undzer baytrog (Our contribution) (Rio de Janeiro, 1956).  His books include: Goyrl fun a krayz, lider (Destiny of a circle [of people], poems) (New York: Tsiko, 1969), 139 pp.; Mit shtiln kol, lider (With a quiet voice, poems) (Tel Aviv, 1975), 140 pp.

Source: Written information with the help of Roza Paletnik in Rio de Janeiro.

Zaynvl Diamant

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 321.]