Ravin, Yoysef
November 11, 1890–1937
He was a poet, prose writer, and playwright, as well as the author of textbooks and children’s books, born in the town of Germanovitsh, Vilna district. He attended religious elementary school. In 1903 his family moved to Lodz, Poland, and he took up studying with a pharmacist, but soon thereafter he turned to pedagogy and literature. He worked as a teacher for several years in a Lodz public school, later in Jewish schools of Minsk. He was killed during the purges of 1937.
In 1916 he founded in Lodz a publishing house Far Unzer Kleynvarg (For Our Youngsters), and there (1917-1921) he published a series Ravins Ilustrirte Kinder-Biblyotek (Ravin’s Illustrated Children’s Library) of children’s plays in verse:
Royt Hitele (Little Red Cap), 20 pp.;
Shneyele (White Snow);
Berele un perele (Berele and Perele), children’s poetry, 15 pp.;
Far di Kleyntshige, Megiles Ester (For the Tiny ones, the Scroll of Esther);
a picture book, Di Kindervelt, Mayselekh Sheyne far Kinderlekh Kleyne (The World of Children, Beautiful Tales for Little Children).
In Lazar Kahan’s publishing house, he brought out
Friling Leb (Beloved Spring) for use in public schools (Lodz, 1918), 64 pp.;
from A. Gitlin’s publishing house,
Der Koter in Shtivl (The Tomcat in Boots), the children’s play in verse (1921), 38 pp., and
Farkishefte Basmalke (The Enchanted Princess) (1922), 39 pp.
A series of booklets with stories:
A Keyt (A Chain),
Yapanishe Folksmayselekh (Japanese Folktales),
Estraykhishe Folksmayselekh (Austrian Folktales),
Mayselekh fun Khayes un Feyglvelt (Tales of Animals and the World of Birds), and
Mayselekeh fun der Gantser Velt (Tales from the Entire World), 16 pp.,
among others — all published in Warsaw.
From 1921 he published original and translated tales in verse in: Grininke Beymelekh (Little Green Trees) and Lodzer Folksblat (Lodz Daily Newspaper).
In Minsk, where he settled in 1922, he continued his intensive creative work, especially in compiling textbooks for Jewish schools. He published there:
Pyesn far Dramkrayzn (Plays for Dramatic Circles), part one (Byelorussian State Publishers, 1925), 116 pp.;
with Hersh Sagalovitsh, Matematik, Ershter Teyl, Arbetbikhl Farn Iii Shulyor (Mathematics, Part 1, Workbook for the Third School Year) (Byelorussian State Publishers, 1926), 185 pp. and
Matematik, Tsveyter Teyl (Mathematics, Part 2) (Byelorussian State Publishers, 1928), 238 pp.;
Mayselekh in Ferzn (Tales in Verse) (Byelorussian State Publishers, 1928), 40 pp.;
with Sagalovitsh, Heft far Matematishe Arbetn (Copybook for Mathematical Work), part 1 (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1928, 1931), 45 pp., part 2 (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1929, 1930), 52 pp., part 3 (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1929, 1930);
with Miriam Margoline and Shloyme-Itshe Ravin, Zay Greyt, Arbetbukh far 4tn Lernyor (Get Ready, Workbook for the Fourth School Year) (Moscow-Minsk: Central People’s Publishers, USSR, 1930), 474 pp.;
with V. Shats, Farn Finfyor, Arbet Bukh af Literatur (For Year Five, Workbook for Literature) (Moscow-Minsk: Central People’s Publishers, USSR, 1932);
with V. Shats and Sh. Buz, Literatur, farn 3tn un 4tn Shulyor (Literature, for the Third and Fourth School Year) (Moscow-Minsk: Central People’s Publishers, 1933), 176 pp. — over the years 1934-1937 there were five reprintings.
He translated Klaus Neukrantz’s Barikadn in Veding, A Roman fun Eyner a Gas in di Berliner May Ṭeg 1929 (Barricades at the Wedding, a Novel from a Berlin Street in May Days 1929 [original: Barrikaden am Wedding]) (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1933), 80 pp.
Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Chone Shmeruk, comp., Pirsumim yehudiim babrit-hamoatsot, 1917-1961 (Jewish Publications in the Soviet Union, 1917-1961) (Jerusalem, 1961), see index; Khayim-Shloyme Kazdan, in Bikher-Velt (Warsaw) 2 (1922); Khayim Leyb Fuks, Lodzh shel mayle, dos yidishe gaystiḳe un derhoybene lodzh, 100 yor yidishe un oykh hebreishe literatur un kultur in lodzh un in di arumiḳe shtet un shtetlekh (Lodz on high, the Jewish spiritual and elevated Lodz, 100 years of Yiddish and also Hebrew literature and culture in Lodz and in the surrounding cities and towns) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1972), pp. 52, 202; Yeshurin archive, YIVO (New York).
YOYSEF RAVIN together with V. Shats, Sh. Buz compiled a textbook Literatur :lernbukh farn 4 shulyor.- Minsk : Melukhe-farlag fun Vaysrusland. Yidsekter, 1932.- 250, [3] pp. This edition differs considerably in volume, structure, number of authors from the next editions with the same title.
ליטעראטור: לערנבוכ פארנ 4 שוליאר
י. ראװינ, װ. שאצ ש. בוז
YOYSEF RAVIN translated from Russian into Yiddish P. Surozshsky's story for children Fintiflushke :dertseylung (orig.: Финтифлюшка (Russian) = Фiнцiфлюшка (Belarusian) = Bauble/Trinket/Knick-knack).- Minsk: Vaysrusisher melukhe-farlag, 1929.- 36 pp. - ill.
פינטיפלושקע : דערצײלונג
פ. סוראזשסקי ; פון רוסיש - י. ראװין ; אילוסטרירט - נ. מאלעװיטש
Author : Сурожский, Павел Николаевич 1872-1939 Шатилов, Павел Николаевич (ral name)
Artist : Малевич, Н.
The story tells about a tallented salt mine worker and sculptor Stepan Khorechkin. His nick name is Fintiflushke.
YOYSEF RAVIN translated from Russian into Yiddish Der bolshevistisher tsunoyfli :XVI tsuzamenfor fun al.k.p. (b) (orig.: Большевистский слёт :XVI съезд ВКП (б) = The XVI meeting of allunion communist party of bolsheviks).- Moskve; Kharkov; Minsk : Tsentrfarlag, 1931.- [32] pp., portr., photo.
דער באלשעװיסטישער צונױפלי :
צוזאמענפאר פונ אל. ק. פ. (ב XVI
יידיש - י. ראװינ
The book is meant for senior school pupils.
YOYSEF RAVIN did a free translation from Ukranian into Yiddish of Yur. Budyak's Di kukavke tshvitsheravke (orig.: Зозуля-регендуля (Ukranian) = The cockoo, a fairytale in verse), illustrated by Y.D. Leus.- Minsk : Vaysrusishe melukhe-farlag, 1929.- [12] pp., ill.
די קוקאװקע טשװיטשעראװקע
יור. בודיאק; פרײ פון אוקראיניש - י. ראװין; אילוסטרירט - י. ד. ליעאוס
Будяк, Юрий Яковлевич (1879-1942) = Покос, Юрий Яковлевич - real name
Artist - Леус, Я.Д.
YOYSEF RAVIN did a free translation from Ukranian into Yiddish of Yur. Budyak's Mayn kelbele (My little calf), illustrated by Y.D. Leus.- Minsk : Vaysrusishe melukhe-farlag, 1928.- [12] pp., ill.
מײן קעלבעלע
יור. בודיאק; פרײ פון אוקראיניש - י. ראװין; אילוסטרירט - י. ד. ליעאוס
Будяк, Юрий Яковлевич (1879-1942) = Покос, Юрий Яковлевич - real name
Artist - Леус, Я.Д.
YOYSEF RAVIN did a free translation from Ukranian into Yiddish of Yur. Budyak's Bushl der vanderer (Stork the traveller), illustrated by Y.D. Leus.- Minsk : Vaysrusishe melukhe-farlag, 1928.- [12] pp., ill.
בושל דער װאנדערער
יור. בודיאק; פרײ פון אוקראיניש - י. ראװין; אילוסטרירט - י. ד. ליעאוס
Будяк, Юрий Яковлевич (1879-1942) = Покос, Юрий Яковлевич - real name
Artist - Леус, Я.Д.
YOYSEF RAVIN wrote a fairytale for children Der retekh (The radish) that was published together with the tale Der retekh (The radish) by B. Sidilkovski i.e. 2 tales with the same title by 2 authors in one book. One tale is in verse. - Varshe : Farlag Kultur-Lige, 1921.- 12 pp. Serie : Far kleyne kinder, # 9.
דער רעטעך:
נײנטע ביכעלע
ב. סידילקאװסקי, י. ראװין
פאר קלײנע קינדער № 9
Correction in the role of Y. Ravin :
"He translated Klaus Neukrantz’s Barikadn in veding, a roman fun eyner a gas in di berliner may ṭeg 1929 (Barricades at the wedding, a novel from a Berlin street in May days 1929 [original: Barrikaden am Wedding]) (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1933), 80 pp.:
*Wedding is a district in Berlin populated by the workers with communist political views.
In fact the translator was Sh. Koshevnik and Y. Ravin together with M. Shats adapted the novel for the school.
באריקאדנ אינ װעדינג:
א ראמאנ פונ אײנער א גאס אינ די בערלינער מײ-טעג 1929
קלאוז נױקראנצ; פונ דײטש - ש. קאשעװניק; באארבעט פאר דער שול - י. ראװינ אונ מ. שאצ
YOYSEF RAVIN translated from Russian into Yiddish a fairytale in verse for children by Korney Tshukovski "Zay a tsukht :a kinematograf far kinder" (orig. : Мойдодыр (Russian) = Будзь ахайным (Belarusian)), illustrated by Yuri Annenkov.- Minsk : Vaysrusishe melukhe-farlag, 1928.- 21 pp., ill.
זײ א צוכט:
א קינעמאטאגראף פאר קינדער
ק. טשוקאװסקי, בילדער פון יו. אנענקאװ, ײדיש פון רוסיש - י. ראװין
Artist - Анненков, Юрий Павлович 1889-1974
Author - Чуковский, Корней Иванович 1882-1969