BERCHIN, JONAH BORISOVICH:

By: Herman Rosenthal

Writer on early Russian-Jewish history; born at Krichev, government of Mohilev, 1865; died at Moscow Aug., 1889. Up to the age of fourteen he received a strictly Orthodox education in the house of his uncle, where he became familiar with the Hebrew language and literature. He then entered the Agricultural School at Gorigorgetzk, and after graduation studied at the High School of Minsk and the Polytechnicum of Riga. In 1888 he became paralytic, and was sent for treatment to Moscow, where he died.

Berchin's historical researches are valuable contributions to early Jewish-Russian history. He published: "Istoricheskaya Zamyetka," dealing with the sect of Shabbethai Ẓebi and with Galiatovski's book, "Messia Pravedny," in "Voskhod" for May and June, 1883; "Iz Davno Minuvshavo," in "Voskhod" for July, Aug., Nov., Dec., 1883; "Yevreiski Dokument," etc., in "Kievskaya Starina," Dec., 1884; "Sozhzhenie Lyudei v Rossii v XIII.-XVIII. Stolyetii," in "Russkaya Starina," 1885, p. 45; "Izvyestie o Yevreyakh v Kievye," in Voskhod" for July and Aug., 1887; "D'va Vracha Yevrei pri Moskovskom Dvorye," in "Voskhod" for March, 1888.

H. R.