Sunday 25 November 2018

AVROM (AVRAHAM) FRANK


AVROM (AVRAHAM) FRANK (b. March 12, 1884)
            He was born in Mariampol (Marijampolė), Lithuania.  His father was the author of Mishnat shelomo (The law according to Shelomo) on Tiferet yisroel (The glory of Israel [commentary on the Mishna]).  He studied in religious elementary school, synagogue study hall, and as an external student completed his bachelor’s degree.  He spent the years 1904-1907 in Nancy, studying to be a pharmacist in university.  Over the years 1907-1909, he served as director of a Hebrew school in Rehovot.  From 1909 until his death, he lived in Warsaw, where he owned and operated a pharmacy, and he was active in Jewish community life.  His literary activities began with a series of reportage pieces on life in the land of Israel for Haynt (Today) in Warsaw (1909), and later he regularly contributed to: Moment (Moment), Der shtrahl (The beam [of light]), Di vokh (The week), and Vokhnblat (Weekly newspaper); as well as in Hebrew to Hatsfira (The siren), Hashaar (The dawn), Haaver (The friend), Haperaḥim (The flowers), Hanoar (Youth), Hakokhev (The star), Hayom (Today), and Hazemir (The nightingale), among others—as well as in the Russian Jewish and Polish Jewish press, and in English for the California News Review.  He authored Yiddish, Hebrew, and Russian books, among them: Kinor kaṭan, osef shire yeladim beliṿyat ṭaame zimra legane-yeladim ulevate-sefer (Little violin, collection of children’s songs accompanied by appropriate melodies for kindergartens and schools) (Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1909), 32 pp.; Siot veagadot livne haneurim (Chats and tales for youth) (Warsaw: Barkai, 1923), 62 pp.; Al hamashuot, roman bishne helekim (On the ruins, a novel in two parts), historical novel (Warsaw, 1936), 284 pp.; Betser, a troyershpil in dray aktn (Strength, a sad play in three acts) (Warsaw, 1922), 60 pp. (performed on the Vilna stage by Dovid Herman).  He was editor of a Polish trade journal for pharmacists.  He died during the years of WWII.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 3; Daniel Tsharni (Charney), in Tsukunft (New York) (February 1943); Udim (Firebrands) 1 (Jerusalem, 1960), see index; Dovid Herman archive, YIVO (New York).
Khayim Leyb Fuks


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