Gabriel Preil
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Preil was a modern Hebrew poet
active in the United States
, who wrote in Hebrew and Yiddish. He was the last of the Haskala poets. The critic Yael Feldman
has done significant work on Preil, focusing on the Yiddish influences in his Hebrew poetry. Preil translated Robert Frost
and Walt Whitman
into Hebrew.
, Livonia, Russian Empire
in 1911, but was raised in Krakės
, Kovno
until his father died. He then moved with his mother to the United States in 1922. Though primarily influenced by Yiddish poets of the Inzikh (Introspective) movement, Preil's influence extends to younger Israeli poets (Dan Pagis
nicknamed him "The Duke of New York"), and Israelis were his primary audience. Preil lived with his mother and step-father in the Bronx, NY, until their deaths. In 1975, he received on honorary Doctorate of Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College
. Preil died in Jerusalem on June 5, 1993 while visiting on a book tour.
: "Leah's Absence". Another references Abraham Mapu
; others, Jacob Glatstein
and Mendele Mocher Sforim
.
Feldman writes of Preil's Yiddish and American atmosphere, "One could say that Preil's life and art are a manifestation of two diametrically opposite movements: His physical biography led him further away from Israeli soil, but, through his artistic activity, he tenaciously bridged the distance and successfully approached the contemporary sources of his poetic medium. In order to do this, he had to cross two language barriers: Yiddish, his European mother tongue, which continued to be the language spoken at home throughout his life, and English, the language he acquired in his new home-country and which soon became a rich literary source for young Preil, the avid reader."
The following is a translation of a Preil poem that appeared in Hebrew in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Achronoth in 1981:
like feathers
years plucked like feathers
but I won't exaggerate:
the romantic houses
didn't lose
the intoxicating image from hovering
were only made
more balanced
cool headed thinkers
in the course of a lengthy conversation
without superfluous surprises
you're not piping the flute
of praises
the modern painting
slides into old hues
the modern structure
designs the old form
and you yourself –
a man pallid as paper
naked as snow
breathing very summerly
(translated from the Hebrew by David Cooper with the late author's permission and approval)
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...
active in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who wrote in Hebrew and Yiddish. He was the last of the Haskala poets. The critic Yael Feldman
Yael S. Feldman
Yael S. Feldman is an Israeli-born American scholar and academic particularly known for her work in comparative literature and feminist Hebrew literary criticism. She is the Abraham I...
has done significant work on Preil, focusing on the Yiddish influences in his Hebrew poetry. Preil translated Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
and Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
into Hebrew.
Biography
Gabriel (Yehoshua) Preil was born in TartuTartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
, Livonia, 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...
in 1911, but was raised in Krakės
Krakes
Krakės is a small town in Kėdainiai district, central Lithuania. It is located on the Smilgaitis River. In the town there is a Catholic church, convent, secondary school and post office....
, Kovno
Kovno Governorate
The Kovno Governorate or Government of Kovno was a governorate of the Russian Empire. Its capital was Kovno . It was formed on 18 December 1842 by tsar Nicholas I from the western part of the Vilna Governorate, and the order was carried out on 1 July 1843. It used to be a part of Northwestern Krai...
until his father died. He then moved with his mother to the United States in 1922. Though primarily influenced by Yiddish poets of the Inzikh (Introspective) movement, Preil's influence extends to younger Israeli poets (Dan Pagis
Dan Pagis
Dan Pagis was an Israeli poet, lecturer and holocaust survivor. He was born in Rădăuţi, Bukovina in Romania and imprisoned as a child in a concentration camp in Ukraine...
nicknamed him "The Duke of New York"), and Israelis were his primary audience. Preil lived with his mother and step-father in the Bronx, NY, until their deaths. In 1975, he received on honorary Doctorate of Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
. Preil died in Jerusalem on June 5, 1993 while visiting on a book tour.
Poems
Many of Preil's poems focus on New York city, Maine, and his grandfather, a rabbi, who lived in Lithuania and wrote for Hamelitz. One of his poems is dedicated to the Israeli poet Leah GoldbergLeah Goldberg
Leah Goldberg was a prolific Hebrew poet, author, playwright, literary translator, and comparative literary researcher. Her writings are considered classics of Israeli literature and remain very popular among Hebrew speaking Israelis.-Biography:...
: "Leah's Absence". Another references Abraham Mapu
Abraham Mapu
Abraham Mapu was a Lithuanian-born Hebrew novelist of the Haskalah movement. His novels later served as a basis for the Zionist movement.-Biography:...
; others, Jacob Glatstein
Jacob Glatstein
Jacob Glatstein was a Polish-born American poet and literary critic who wrote in the Yiddish language. He was born 1896 August 20 in Lublin, Poland and died 1971 November 19 in New York City, New York, U.S.A. He is also known as Yankev Glatshteyn and as Jacob Glatshteyn...
and Mendele Mocher Sforim
Mendele Mocher Sforim
Mendele Mocher Sforim , December 21, 1835 = January 2, 1836 , Kapyl — November 25, 1917 = December 8, 1917...
.
Feldman writes of Preil's Yiddish and American atmosphere, "One could say that Preil's life and art are a manifestation of two diametrically opposite movements: His physical biography led him further away from Israeli soil, but, through his artistic activity, he tenaciously bridged the distance and successfully approached the contemporary sources of his poetic medium. In order to do this, he had to cross two language barriers: Yiddish, his European mother tongue, which continued to be the language spoken at home throughout his life, and English, the language he acquired in his new home-country and which soon became a rich literary source for young Preil, the avid reader."
The following is a translation of a Preil poem that appeared in Hebrew in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Achronoth in 1981:
like feathers
years plucked like feathers
but I won't exaggerate:
the romantic houses
didn't lose
the intoxicating image from hovering
were only made
more balanced
cool headed thinkers
in the course of a lengthy conversation
without superfluous surprises
you're not piping the flute
of praises
the modern painting
slides into old hues
the modern structure
designs the old form
and you yourself –
a man pallid as paper
naked as snow
breathing very summerly
(translated from the Hebrew by David Cooper with the late author's permission and approval)
Further reading
- The Modern Hebrew Poem ItselfThe Modern Hebrew Poem ItselfThe Modern Hebrew Poem Itself is an anthology of modern Hebrew poetry, presented in the original language, with a transliteration into Roman script, a literal translation into English, and commentaries and explanations....
, T. CarmiT. Carmi-Biography:He was born Carmi Charny in New York City. Hebrew was his mother tongue and his family used it as the spoken language of their home. He moved to Israel just before the outbreak of the Israeli War of Independence...
, ed. (2003), ISBN 0-8143-2485-1 - Sunset Possibilities and Other Poems (Jewish Poetry Series), Trans. Robert FriendRobert FriendRobert Friend was an American-born poet and translator. After moving to Israel, he became a professor of English literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-Biography:...
. (1986-02) ISBN 0827-60240-5 - To Be Recorded (1994-04) ISBN 0893-04306-0
- Modernism and Cultural Transfer: Gabriel Preil and the Tradition of Jewish Literary Bilingualism. Yael S. Feldman. Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1986.
External links
- Gabriel Preil's poems in English translation at Poems Found in Translation
- Preil's Obituary in the New York Times