Which famous people are associated with Pochep?

A Jewish shtetl is not merely defined by its houses or buildings, but by its people — those who have made significant contributions to Russian and world culture. Unfortunately, some of these individuals remain relatively unknown in Russia. We aim to address this gap.

Matvey Blanter, a composer and author of the famous song "Katyusha," had family roots in Pochep. His father, Isaac Blanter, and grandfather were wealthy merchants in the town.

Yosef Haim Brenner studied at a yeshiva in Pochep, where he discovered his talent as a writer. Brenner, a classic writer for Israel, played a significant role in reviving the Hebrew language.

Uri Nissan Gnessin, another classic writer and pioneer of Hebrew literature, was the son of a Pochep rabbi. Gnessin founded a publishing house in Pochep, aiming to publish Russian classics translated into Hebrew.

Menachem Gnessin, an actor and director, was one of the founders of the National Theatre of Israel. As a child, he participated in amateur performances in Pochep. He had excellent theatrical taste and brought Chekhov and Gogol's plays, translated into Hebrew, to Israel.

Shmuel Bass, a writer, poet, and teacher, was born in Pochep. From an early age, his work was published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. He is the author of many children's songs.

Benjamin Levitin, a journalist, wrote articles for the renowned Yiddish newspaper “Forverts” (“Forward”). He was born in Pochep.

Moshe Aryeh Mirkin, an Israeli educator and writer, was one of the founders of the city of Ramat Gan. He was born in Pochep.

Shmuel Persov, a Soviet writer and member of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, authored works in Yiddish. The setting of his story "Exit" is the city of Perechep, which is likely based on his native Pochep.

Fara Lynn Krasnopolsky, a ballerina and writer, recounts her childhood in pre-revolutionary Pochep in her autobiographical (and fictional) book "I Remember." She particularly recalls Maria Valerianovna Litvinenko, the founder of the Pochep gymnasium.

Matvey Blanter

Yosef Haim Brenner

Uri Nissan Gnessin

Menachem Gnessin

Fara Lynn Krasnopolsky

Shmuel Bass

Shmuel Persov

Benjamin Levitin

Moshe Aryeh Mirkin

Grigoriy Aronov

Grigory Aronov, a Soviet film director, screenwriter, and actor, directed the films "Green Chains" and "Krosh's Vacation."

Historically, Jewish education had been predominantly religious. In the 19th century, Pochep was one of the places where Haskalah, a Jewish educational movement advocating for secular studies, developed. This movement encouraged Jews to be well-educated citizens while maintaining their cultural identity. Among the proponents of Haskalah in Pochep were rabbis Yehoshua Nathan Gnessin and his student, Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Amrami (Pogorelsky).

The Haskalah movement likely played a role in the emergence of many talented and renowned individuals from Pochep.

Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Amrami (Pogorelsky)
Photo from carolynyair.wix.com (now defunct)

Pirkei Avot in Russian
A collection of articles on Jewish history and literature, published by The Society for the Promotion of Enlightenment among the Jews of Russia. 1866-1867
The National Library Of Israel

Prominent figures in literature, theater, cinema, and music who are connected to Pochep include:

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AUTHOR - EKATERINA ZHILINA

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* פוצ'פ (hebrew) - Pochep