My work on the Moshe Rynecki project has moved forward because of all the help I receive from so very many different people. Sometimes that help arrives in the form of serendipitous information, other times people have offered useful advice and guidance. A few weeks ago I learned about the Historical Jewish Press website and the fact that they offer a digital collection of Jewish newspapers that is accessible to the public. The papers in their archive include publications across several different countries, languages, and years. Not only have they digitized the papers making it possible to view many papers in their original layout, but they also digitized the content, making it possible to search the published text on any desired term. This effort, begun by Tel Aviv University and the Jewish National and University Library, is a phenomenal amount of work and an incredible resource.
I only had one problem, I can’t read Hebrew and I definitely don’t know how to read Yiddish. While I don’t read Polish either, I can usually stumble my way through a Polish publication trying to eyeball any mention of my great-grandfather’s name. That, sadly, is not possible for me in a publication whose letters I cannot read. Fortunately, the same gentleman who informed me that the University of Toronto’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library had original resource information about my great-grandfather, also gave me the magical sequence of Hebrew letters to form the Yiddish version of my great-grandfather’s name, Rynetski [read right to left]: רינעצקי
Searching with this magical sequence of Hebrew letters turned up many different “hits” in the Historical Jewish Press website. It turns out there were four results worth pursuing. I had them translated and this morning the English translations were delivered to my email inbox. Sadly, no photographs of paintings were included to accompany the text. The translated information comes from articles appearing in Unzer Ekspres [“Our Express”] and Haynt [“Today”]. Here is an example of one of the newspaper articles:
The newspaper articles I had translated are pieces that came from Unzer Ekspres: July 15 and 25, 1929 and December 20, 1937. One article was from Haynt on Dec 13, 1936. Notes in blue are the translator’s comments. This translation is quite exciting to me primarily for two reasons. First, it shows that my great-grandfather not only showed his work in the interwar years, but that the local press covered the exhibitions. This helps to show he was somewhat of an established and known artist. Second, and perhaps even more importantly, it offers information about his contemporaries.
Here are the translations:
Exciting Opening of the Jewish Art Salon in Warsaw
In the last few days there was the exiting opening of the Jewish Art Salon, which was organized by The Jewish Society for the Advancement of Art. The exhibit is on Marshalkovska [St.] A lot of people attended; among them were representatives of our most prominent citizens. One got the impression that Jewish Warsaw longed for a Jewish Salon.
Over 100 works were exhibited. There were metal sculptures, oil paintings, watercolors, graphics. The oldest Jewish painters in Poland were represented. There were also young people, who showed signs of talent. There are also a large number of women who are moving to the foreground. Those who took part were: M. Apelboym, Ben-Gis, A. Blaufuks, B. V. Broyner, Mrs. Tsentnershver, R. Tsimerman, H. Tsina, B. Tsukerman, Z. Dif, B. Dilman, N. Edelman, Mrs. Ayzner-Shneyer, Y. Fayngold, M. Fayering, M. Grushko, H. Hebtkop, A Hershaft, L. Hershman, Y. Kleynzinger, Y. Korenblit, Sh. Kronhaym, H. Landoy, A. Mikhalovitsh, Mrs. B. Natanzon, Y. Nisenboym, L. Perel, H. Rabinovitsh, M. Reyf, M. Rynetski, R. Rozental, D. Shenfeld, H. Shener, H. Shpigel, L. Shvergold, Sh. Teygman, M. Termbski, Kh. Tiber, Y. Tiktshniski, Y. Tinovyetski, F. Tikhanin, B. Zilbermints and Miss. Zilova.
A special place in this exhibition is occupied by the folk-artist who embroidered the __ at the Joint [the joint Distribution Committee] There were also beshmeltsungen [I’m not sure what these are. Shmeltsn in Yiddish has to do with something melted. Perhaps these are metal castings made in the “lost wax’casting method: cire-perdue? This is what makes the most sense to me] In general, the whole exhibit elicited interest, and many works were sold.
Great Success of the Exhibit of Drawings and Graphics
The exhibition of drawings and graphics at the Jewish Art Society Building (51 Krulevska [St.]) was a great success.
Represented by their works at this large exhibition were the most important Jewish artists in Warsaw and surrounding provinces.
Representatives of the Yiddish and Polish press visited the exhibition and spoke positively about the artists and their exhibited works.
During the course of a short time, a large number of works by the following artists were sold: Mundlyak, Hershaft, Rynetski, Tikotshinski and Trefler.
The exhibition is open daily from 11 in the morning until 9 in the evening.
The Opening of the Exhibition of Drawings and Graphics
The Exhibition of Drawings and Graphics opened Monday at the Jewish Art Society building (51 Krulevska [St.]).
The opening was attended by artists, writers, art lovers and ordinary invited guests. At this exhibition, which was exclusively for graphic [I think here ‘graphic’ means ‘representational.’] drawings, a lot of artists from Warsaw and provinces showed their drawings, woodcuts, water colors, book covers and book vignettes [sic].[Perhaps this means book illustrations.]
The following artists were represented: Bloyfuks, Dunyets, Faygenboym, Goldberg, Hershaft, Kaminski, Mundlak, Merzer, Rabinovitsh, Rynetski, Shar, Shifman, Trefler, Tikotshinski and Vislo.
It must be mentioned that this was the first time that an exhibition in Warsaw include Jewish artists showing only their drawings and graphics.
The exhibition is open daily from eleven in the morning until 9 in the evening.
The Exhibition of pictures, called “Bazaar of Pictures,” is already open. It was arranged by the Jewish Folk Union. One can buy, very inexpensively, art works representative of various kinds of art.
The exhibition is located at the Gross Library building (13 Leshno [St.]), where is is tastefully arranged.
Taking part in it are familiar artists, such as: Vaynlez, Tsentgeshver, Rozental, Laber, Blaufuks, Fridman, Shpigel, Yolnetski, Rynetski, and many other young artists.
It is possible [sic] that the exhibition will be open from 10 in the morning until 10 in the evening. Admission is free.