Shlomo Zemach
Encyclopedia
Shlomo Zemach was a Polish
-born Israeli author, agriculturalist and early Zionist
pioneer.
, then part of the Russian Empire
, and was a decendant of Rabbi Avraham Gombiner
(known as the "Magen Avraham") and his descendant, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch HaLevi of Plonsk (know as the "Plant (Zemach) of Avraham", from where Zemach's surname originates). He was a childhood friend of David Ben-Gurion
. Zemach received a traditinal Jewish education at cheder
and beit midrash. In 1900, at the age of 14, Ben-Gurion and Zemach founded a Zionist youth association in Płońsk, under the name Ezra Association, whose members spoke only Hebrew.
In 1904, Zemach emigrated
to Ottoman Palestine
. He worked as an agricultural worker for five years. In 1905, he was among the founders of the Hapoel Hatzair
Zionist organization.
From 1909 to 1914, Zemach studied agriculture, literature and philosophy in France
. In 1914, he qualified as an agricultural engineer, and went to visit his parents' home in Płońsk, where he was caught up in the outbreak of the First World War
. He was engaged in literary work in Warsaw
and later on in Odessa
. In 1921, he returned to then British-administered Palestine. He was employed as a teacher at the Mikveh Israel
agricultural school and, in 1933, he was the principal founder of the Kadoorie Agricultural High School and served as its first headmaster.
He wrote a number of book sand articles on agriculture. He was also a literary critic and edited the literary journal Maazanim.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-born Israeli author, agriculturalist and early Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
pioneer.
Biography
Zemach was born in 1887 in Płońsk, PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, then part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, and was a decendant of Rabbi Avraham Gombiner
Avraham Gombiner
Abraham Abele Gombiner , known as the Magen Avraham, born in Gąbin , Poland, was a rabbi, Talmudist and a leading religious authority in the Jewish community of Kalish, Poland during the seventeenth century. His full name is Avraham Avli ben Chaim HaLevi from the town of Gombin...
(known as the "Magen Avraham") and his descendant, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch HaLevi of Plonsk (know as the "Plant (Zemach) of Avraham", from where Zemach's surname originates). He was a childhood friend of David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
. Zemach received a traditinal Jewish education at cheder
Cheder
A Cheder is a traditional elementary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.-History:...
and beit midrash. In 1900, at the age of 14, Ben-Gurion and Zemach founded a Zionist youth association in Płońsk, under the name Ezra Association, whose members spoke only Hebrew.
In 1904, Zemach emigrated
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Ottoman Palestine
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. He worked as an agricultural worker for five years. In 1905, he was among the founders of the Hapoel Hatzair
Hapoel Hatzair
Hapoel Hatzair is a Zionist group which was active in Palestine from 1905 until 1930. They were founded by A.D. Gordon, Yosef Ahronowitz, Yosef Sprinzak and followed a non-Marxist, Zionist, socialist agenda. In accordance with A.D...
Zionist organization.
From 1909 to 1914, Zemach studied agriculture, literature and philosophy in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1914, he qualified as an agricultural engineer, and went to visit his parents' home in Płońsk, where he was caught up in the outbreak of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was engaged in literary work in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and later on in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
. In 1921, he returned to then British-administered Palestine. He was employed as a teacher at the Mikveh Israel
Mikveh Israel
The name Mikveh Israel may refer to:* Mikveh Israel, agricultural school and village in Israel* Congregation Mikveh Israel, Philadelphia, United States* Congregation Mickve Israel, Savannah, Georgia, United States...
agricultural school and, in 1933, he was the principal founder of the Kadoorie Agricultural High School and served as its first headmaster.
He wrote a number of book sand articles on agriculture. He was also a literary critic and edited the literary journal Maazanim.
Awards
- In 1944, Zemach was awarded the Bialik PrizeBialik PrizeThe Bialik Prize is an annual literary award given by the municipality of Tel Aviv, Israel for significant accomplishments in Hebrew literature. The prize is named in memory of Hayyim Nahman Bialik. There are two separate prizes, one specifically for "Literature", which is in the field of fiction,...
for Literature, jointly with Yehuda Karni. - In 1955, he was awarded the Brenner PrizeBrenner PrizeThe Brenner Prize is an Israeli literary prize awarded annually by the Hebrew Writers Association in Israel and the Haft Family Foundation.It was founded in the name of the author Yosef Haim Brenner and was first awarded in 1945....
for Literature, jointly with Yeshuron Keshet. - In 1965, he was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, in literature.
Published works
- Elijah Margaret (Roman), Warsaw: Jewish Press, 1921.
- First year, published by Am Oved , 1952.
- Stories from the Life of the Land, published by Rubin Mass Press , 1939.
- Essay and Criticism, published by Dvir, 1954.
Further reading
- Thanks to a Friend from Plonsk, by Arieh (Buda) Bodenheimer, 2010. Tells the story of Zemach, including his relationship with Ben-Gurion.
External links
- Two Mules HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
On-line, 29 May 2006. Article (in Hebrew) by Nurit Govrin which describes the relationship of friendship/rivalry that existed between Ben-Gurion and Zemach from their childhood together Plonsk and which continued throughout their lives. She analyzed Zemach's story entitled "Razallah and Atarah", published in 1930, about two mules, and believed this to be an allegory of the writer's relationship with Ben-Gurion.