ARONES Feivel's file / פייביש ארונס, תיק אישי

Faivish Aarons (1891–1981) was a prominent Yiddish actor, writer, and theater figure, whose life and professional activities reflect the dramatic upheavals that Jewish culture underwent in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union throughout the 20th century.

His beginnings and the period in Latvia

Aarons was born in the city Dvinsk (now Daugavpils, Latvia). He began his artistic career in 1911 In the company of Yitzhak (S.) Guzik. In the period before World War I, he integrated into the vibrant Jewish cultural life inRiga, where he was active in dramatic circles such as "Ivria" and "Carmel".

Key landmarks from this period:

• Meeting with Shalom Aleichem: In 1913, during the famous writer's visit to Riga, Aarons attended the reception held in his honor and even met him personally.
• First Jewish Cinema: Aarons took part in the filming of one of the first Jewish films in Riga, "The Jewish Soldier" (or "Optechnik Mandela"), directed by Mendel Workel.
• World War I: Between 1914 and 1917 he served in the Imperial Russian Army.

The Soviet era and the Birobidzhan project

After the revolution, Arons continued his professional training in Moscow, where he studied at the Yiddish Theater Studio (later the State Institute of Theater Arts – GITIS) and graduated in 1926.

• Minsk Theater: From 1926 to 1932 he played at the State Jewish Theater of Belarus (Minsk).
• Birobidzhan: The peak of his activity was at the State Jewish Theater in Birobidzhan, where he worked almost 15 years (From 1935/1937 until its closure in 1949). He is considered one of the leading and most beloved actors in this theater.

Stalin's persecution and the Gulag period

In the year 1949As part of the Stalinist campaign against Jewish culture ("The Black Years"), the theater in Birobidzhan was closed and Aarons was arrested. He was charged with "bourgeois nationalism" and anti-Soviet propaganda and sentenced to10 years in prison in labor camps (Gulag) In Siberia.

Even under the harsh conditions of his imprisonment, Aarons continued to work as an artist. He would read stories by Shalom Aleichem to his fellow prisoners (Jews and non-Jews) to cheer them up. In these camps, he also wrote poems and stories that documented the lives of the prisoners.

Return to Riga and immigration to Israel

After Stalin's death and his political rehabilitation, Arons returned to Riga, where he continued to perform at literary evenings and concerts in Yiddish. In 1972 Immigrated to Israel and settled inBnei BrakDuring his years in Israel, he was highly respected:

• The Bnei Brak municipality awarded him a medal of honor for his contribution to Jewish culture.
• He published his memoirs and a monograph on the Jewish theater in Birobidzhan ("Birobijan Tragicomedy", 1978).
• He continued to appear on stages in Israel, reading from the works of Shalom Aleichem, Peretz, and other writers.

Faivish Aarons died in 1981, leaving behind a rich legacy of dozens of roles on stage and written documentation of a glorious and tragic period in the history of Yiddish culture.

 

P9-1 – Book "Mister Twister" 2nd edition

P9-2 – Announcement of the spectacle Herzele Miuches

"P9-3 – Article in newspaper "Nasha strana

"P9-4 – Announcement of "Der Batlen" spectacle

P9-5 – Self memory book from "Heavar" (Jewery in Russia)

P9-6 – Self memory book from "Heavar" (Jewery in Russia)

P9-7 – Certificate from Jewish theater

P9-8 – Announcement of "Koketlivia Dami" spectacle

P9-9 – Faivush Arones – from encyclopedia??

P9-10 – Announcement of 4 spectacles

P9-11 – Article from newspapers "Letze Naies"

P9-12 – Article from newspapers "Nasha Snrana"

P9-13 – Article from newspapers "Nasha Snrana"

P9-14 – Article from newspapers "Nasha Snrana"

P9-15 – Article from newspapers "Vecti"

** end of ARONES Feivel files **

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