Grajewsky, Pinchas
GRAJEWSKY, PINCHAS
GRAJEWSKY, PINCHAS (1873–1941), Ereẓ Israel historian. Grajewsky was born in Jerusalem, where he received a traditional yeshivah education. He was an official in the Bikkur Ḥolim Hospital in Jerusalem for 43 years. In 1895 he became a member of the Yishuv Ereẓ ha-Kodesh Association, which was founded to train yeshivah students for agricultural work. Grajewsky's main literary activity was in the publication of documents, letters, and memoirs, along with biographical sketches, relating to Jerusalem and Ereẓ Israel personalities, synagogues, and public institutions. Many of the 170 pamphlets published by Grajewsky were in series: Mi-Ginzei Yerushalayim (25) contained documents, memoirs, and Turkish firmans; Avnei Zikkaron (15) was on tombstones and inscriptions; Zikhron ha-Ḥovevim ha-Rishonim (20) on important individuals; Benot Ẓiyyon (10) on distinguished women of Jerusalem. Although his biographical material was not always accurate, it was because of him that many historical documents which might otherwise have been lost were preserved. He also published Sefer ha-Yishuv (1929) on the residential quarters of Jerusalem.
bibliography:
Enẓiklopedyah shel ha-Ẓiyyonut ha-Datit, 1, 554–6; Kressel, 1, 504–5. M.D. Gaon, in: Deyokena de-Yerushalayim (1953).
[Benjamin Jaffe (2nd ed.)]