Page 22 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - Winter 20
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The Shifrins' eldest child was born in 1950
and, as was customary at the time, was placed
and cared for in the kibbutz children's house.
"And my wife, Gussie, bless her heart,
couldn't stand the idea of the children's house.
In the years since, we've learned how
dangerous those places were, both for the
children and the parents. It was a terrible
thing in retrospect. Anyway, we left the
kibbutz. It was quite a life. I would love to
have stayed on. But I appreciated what
Gussie was going through in relation to the
Just a sample of the many illustrations by children's house.”
Denis, which have appeared in the ESRA
Magazine over the years. "We had no money. The only thing we came
out of the kibbutz with were six diapers for
But having illustrated the youth movement's the child”. Denis recalls that their departure
newspaper for years, as well as having almost from the kibbutz probably could not have
single-handedly put together a large and very happened at a less opportune moment in
successful exhibition for Habonim in London Israel's history. New immigrants from
in 1946, Denis became known throughout the Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East
youth movement as "The Artist”. He met his were streaming in by the hundreds of
wife, Gussie, at Habonim's London thousands. Work and housing were scarce or
commune in Hackney in 1948. They came non-existent. The young family, however,
here together on Aliyah in 1949, and were harboured no thought of leaving Israel, and
among the founding members of Kibbutz luckily soon got a small bungalow from the
Kfar Hanassi, near Rosh Pina. Jewish Agency.
"This was 99 percent English, with all of the "But what was my work? I had nothing but a
English style of living, even somewhat pathetic portfolio of drawings”. So, one fine
exaggerated. Tea at five o'clock and that sort day in 1951, Denis found himself, portfolio
of thing”, he recalls with laughter. “And they of drawings in hand, in the office of Gershom
somehow managed to maintain this Schocken, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper,
lifestyle”, Denis says, “even while they were Ha’aretz. Schocken told Denis that the paper
all still living in tents. They made me a could not afford a cartoonist, but sent him
carpenter”. He recounts a humorous story of round the corner to a printing company, Lion
trying to cut glass to make windows with the Printer, where despite "knowing
somewhat limited success. But he was also absolutely nothing" about professional
still 'the artist'. "I drew the plates for the printing, Denis managed to impress Mr. Lion,
Kibbutz Haggadah and designed all the the company's owner, with a few quick and
decorations for holidays and festivals”. very game answers to his interview
questions. Denis was hired on the spot and
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