Zrubavel Gilad
Encyclopedia
Zrubavel Gilad was a Hebrew poet
, editor
and translator.
, Bessarabia
, (then part of the Russian Empire
and now in present day Moldova
), and his family (Bessarabian Jews
) fled to Odessa
during World War I
. After the Russian Revolution, they moved to Mandate Palestine. In 1924, they settled in Ein Harod
, where he lived until his death in 1988. He was one of the first children in the kibbutz
.
Gilad began to publish stories in 1929 and poetry in 1931. He published articles in most newspapers and magazines in Israel
.
He was active in getting young members of the cooperative agricultural communities of the Jezreel Valley
to participate in HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed
youth movement activities. He was Secretary of the Central Committee of the movement between 1933-1935. Many of his poems were published in the movement's newspaper "Bamaale" .
In November 1937, he was sent to Poland
to work with the pioneering movement Hehalutz
, returning home in 1939.
Gilad was one of the first members of the Palmach
, and one of its poets. He wrote the Palmah Anthem in 1941. In 1946, he participated in the Night of the Bridges
at the Sheik Hussein Bridge, and was arrested two weeks later in the Black Shabbat, spending some time in British jails.
Between 1950 and 1953, he worked on the Palmach Book, an anthology
he edited with Matti Megged. It is considered one of the most important anthologies of the time.
He was the editor of the HaKibbutz HaMeuhad magazine "Mebefnim" for many years and a senior editor in the movement's publishing house.
In his later years, after the death of his first wife, he married the Israeli literary scholar and a translator Dorothea Krook-Gilead
, who translated many of his poems into English.
In 1990, his autobiography
"Maayan Gideon" ("Gideon's Spring") was published. Individual poems he wrote have been published in Danish, French, German, Hungarian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian and Spanish.
Modern Hebrew poetry
Modern Hebrew poetry is poetry written in the Hebrew language. It was pioneered by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, and it was developed by the Haskalah movements, that saw poetry as the most quality genre for Hebrew writing...
, editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
and translator.
Biography
Gilad was born in 1912 in BenderBender, Moldova
Bender or Bendery, also known as Tighina is a city within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova under de facto control of the unrecognized Transnistria Republic since 1992...
, Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
, (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 now in present day Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
), and his family (Bessarabian Jews
Bessarabian Jews
-Early history:Jews are mentioned from very early in the Principality of Moldavia, but they did not represent a significant number. Their main activity in Moldavia was commerce, but they could not compete with Greeks and Armenians, who had the knowledge of the Levantine commerce and relationships...
) fled to 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,...
during World War I
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...
. After the Russian Revolution, they moved to Mandate Palestine. In 1924, they settled in Ein Harod
Ein Harod
Ein Harod was a kibbutz in Israel. It was located in northern Israel near Mount Gilboa. It is notable for being built near the battlefield of Ayn Jalut , a battle of huge macro-historical importance where the Mongols were defeated for the first time, in 1260.-History:The kibbutz was founded by...
, where he lived until his death in 1988. He was one of the first children in the kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
.
Gilad began to publish stories in 1929 and poetry in 1931. He published articles in most newspapers and magazines in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
He was active in getting young members of the cooperative agricultural communities of the Jezreel Valley
Jezreel Valley
-Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in...
to participate in HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed
Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed
Histadrut HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed , sometimes abbreiviated to No'al is an Israeli youth movement, a sister movement of Habonim Dror, the Labor Zionist movement....
youth movement activities. He was Secretary of the Central Committee of the movement between 1933-1935. Many of his poems were published in the movement's newspaper "Bamaale" .
In November 1937, he was sent to Poland
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...
to work with the pioneering movement Hehalutz
Hehalutz
Hechalutz was an association of Jewish youth whose aim was to train its members to settle in the Land of Israel, which became an umbrella organization of the pioneering Zionist youth movements....
, returning home in 1939.
Gilad was one of the first members of the Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
, and one of its poets. He wrote the Palmah Anthem in 1941. In 1946, he participated in the Night of the Bridges
Night of the bridges
Operation Markolet was a Haganah venture on the night of the 16th to the 17th of June 1946 in the British Mandate of Palestine...
at the Sheik Hussein Bridge, and was arrested two weeks later in the Black Shabbat, spending some time in British jails.
Between 1950 and 1953, he worked on the Palmach Book, an anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
he edited with Matti Megged. It is considered one of the most important anthologies of the time.
He was the editor of the HaKibbutz HaMeuhad magazine "Mebefnim" for many years and a senior editor in the movement's publishing house.
In his later years, after the death of his first wife, he married the Israeli literary scholar and a translator Dorothea Krook-Gilead
Dorothea Krook-Gilead
Dorothea Krook-Gilead was an Israeli literary scholar, a translator, and a professor of English literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at Tel Aviv University.- Biography :...
, who translated many of his poems into English.
In 1990, his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
"Maayan Gideon" ("Gideon's Spring") was published. Individual poems he wrote have been published in Danish, French, German, Hungarian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian and Spanish.
Awards
Gilad won many awards for his literary achievements. These include the following:- the Prime Minister's Award for Literature
- the Bialik Prize for Literature in 1981.
Books Published in Hebrew
- Youth (poetry), Ba-Maale, 1936 [Neurim]
- Springs (poetry), Davar, 1939 [Al Ha-ayin]
- The Gilboa Sights (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1943 [Mar'ot Gilboa]
- The Magic Spike (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1949 [Shibolet Pelayim]
- The Palmach, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1950 [Pirkei Palmah]
- Tunes in the Storm (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1946 [Nigunim Ba'Sa'ar]
- The Beehive and the Lady Queen (children), Am Oved, 1946 [Ma'ase Be-Kaveret U-Ba-Malkah ha-Gveret]
- Secret Shield, The Jewish Agency, 1948 [Magen Ba-Seter]
- A Legacy of Heroism, Kiriat Sefer, 1948 [Moreshet Gevurah]
- Pines in Bloom (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1950 [Perihat Oranim]
- The Palmach Book, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1953 [Sefer Ha-Palmah]
- Conversation at the Beach (stories), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1954 [Sihah Al Ha-Hof]
- The Green River (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1955 [Nahar Yarok]
- The Small Rabbit (children), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1957 [Ma'aseh Be-Arnav Katan]
- A Drop of Dew (children), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1958 [Egel Tal]
- Shining Dust (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1960 [Efer Noher]
- The Upper Sea (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1966 [Yam Shel Ma'ala]
- Returning Light (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1970 [Or Hozer]
- Green Tunes (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1972 [Zemirot Yerukot]
- In the Valley of Shiloh (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1974 [Be-Emek Shilo]
- Coals of Juniper (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1980 [Gehalei Retamim]
- The Well (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1983 [Ha-Be'er]
- The Mountain Light (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1986 [Or Ha-Har]
- The Shade of the Fig Tree (poetry), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1988 [Be-Tzel Ha-Te'enah]