People

Chayele Grober was born inBialystok, Poland, into a well-off commercial family.  Shegraduated from a Russian high school and studied Yiddish and Hebrewwith private tutors.  During the years of WWI, she lived inMoscow.  There she graduated from the theater studio of Habimaand later returned to Poland.  In 1918 she was active in thefield of art theater.  She was one of the best known Yiddishactresses with her own distinctive style.  She traveled throughthe Jewish communities of virtually the entire world. 

She released several vinyl records in England and South Africa.

Sheauthored a book entitled Tsu der groyser velt (To the great world)(Buenos Aires, 1952), 209 pp.  In the book she paints types andfigures from the Jewish way of life.  In her memoirs about tenyears of work with Habima, she refers to various episodes which throwlight on her personality as an actress, on the accomplishments ofHabima, and on her directors and fellow actors.  Portions of thebook were published in Di idishe tsaytung (The Jewish newspaper) inBuenos Aires, Keneder odler (Canadian eagle) in Montreal, and Dishtime (The voice) in Mexico, among other such places.  Her bookespecially excels in her manner of depiction, her fine style, and heruse of a folkish Yiddish language.  She also wrote the play Affridlekhe erd (On peaceful soil), which deals with the problem ofactual Jewish life.  It was staged in 1957 in Melbourne, underthe direction of Yankev Vayslits.  From 1966 she was living inIsrael.  She wrote: Mayn veg aleyn (My path alone) (Tel Aviv:Peretz Publ., 1968), 243 pp.  She died in Haifa.

Press comments:

"Subtle art of recourseand refinement as well as highly indywidual personality. With hersongs and chants she brings vividness of interpretation and dignity.Her art is exuisite and versatile." (Rand daily mail, Johannesburg)

"Chayele Grober - an artist with rare understanding" (New York Times)

"A unique personality of the stage" (Paris)

"Her approach is so different, so refreshing and so moving... a gentle and sensitive artist" (Zionist Records)

Wath the interview with the actrees who learned from Chayele Grober.

Listen to the music of Chayele.

Laflet from Montreal.

Cover of the 10" record.

      

Records labels from 30-ties.