RUBINSTEIN, JOSEPH

RUBINSTEIN, JOSEPH (1905–1978), Yiddish poet. Born in Skidel, Poland, Rubinstein published his first book of verse, Modeln ("Models") in Warsaw in 1939. His experiences as a war refugee in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, from 1941 until his return to Poland in 1946 were recorded in his epic Megilas Rusland ("The Scroll of Russia," 1960), the first volume of a poetic trilogy, Der Driter Khurbn ("The Third Catastrophe"), which chronicles the tragedy of Soviet Jewry and their undying devotion to their historic and religious heritage. In Khurbn Poyln ("The Destruction of Poland," 1964), the second volume of the trilogy, he dealt with his unsuccessful effort to rehabilitate himself in postwar Poland. In Yetsias Eyrope ("Exodus From Europe," 1969), he described his travails before reaching the U.S. Nakht oyf Nalevkes ("Night on Nalefkes," 1949), the first of his books to be published in the U.S., consisted of lyrics written during a decade of wandering, as well as a reprint of Modeln, the original edition of which had been destroyed in Warsaw.

bibliography:

M. Ravitch, Mayn Leksikon, 1 (1945), 249–51; Sh. Bickel, Shrayber fun Mayn Dor, 2 (1965), 150–59; Y. Bronshteyn, In Pardes fun Yidish (1965), 63–69. add. bibliography: Sh. Bickel, Shrayber fun Mayn Dor, 3 (1970), 60–66; J. Glatstein, Af Greyte Temes (1967), 130 ff.; Y. Yanasovitch, Penimer un Nemen, 1 (1971), 351–56; lnyl, 8 (1981), 418–20.

[Sol Liptzin]