Rabinovich (Rabinowitsch) Bers (21 September 1895, Riga — 1969, Tel Aviv) — merchant.
Bers Rabinovich was the son of Rubin Rabinovich (1859, Lida, Lithuania — 1938, Riga) and Ita Rabinovich (1863, Zhagare, Lithuania — 1930, Riga). In 1909 he graduated from the primary school on Visvalža Street in Riga. In 1910–13 he was a shop assistant in a ready-made clothing store. In 1913–15 he worked as a salesman in Shleiman’s shop, and in 1915–16 as a salesman in Shmushkin’s ready-made clothing shop. In 1916–17 he performed active military service in the Imperial Russian Army. In 1917 he returned to Riga and until 1920 assisted his father in a tailoring workshop. In 1920–23 he was a salesman in Shmushkin’s ready-made clothing shop and repeatedly travelled to Germany to conclude trade deals.
In 1924 Bers Rabinovich became co-owner of a small haberdashery shop belonging to his wife. Until nationalisation in 1940 he managed the shop’s commercial and financial affairs. In 1941 he was tried and, by decision of the Special Council, sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, which he served in the Vyatka labour camps in the Kirov region. In 1943 he was released on health grounds and exiled to the Tomsk region. In 1946–55 he worked as a guard and stove-maker in the village of Tarabel. In 1955–58 he was a stove-maker in the Narim Agency of the Special River Shipping Company in Kolpashevo, Tomsk region. In 1956 Bers Rabinovich was removed from the register of special settlers and in 1958 returned to Riga. From 1958 he worked as a labourer in the “Tekstilgalantereya” (“Dzirķstele”) artel.
Married to Ida Rabinovich, née Schmidt (1904, Kamai, Lithuania), with whom he had children: Iosif Rabinovich (1937, Riga), who lived in Tomsk in the 1960s, and Riva Rabinovich (1931, Riga).
Rabinovich’s brother Shmuel Rabinovich (1882(?), Riga — 1927, Riga) died in the pre-war years. His brother Shleime-Akiva Rabinovich (1888, Riga — 1967, Tel Aviv) emigrated in 1905 to what is now the State of Israel. Sisters of R. — Khana Treger, née Rabinovich (1892, Riga — 1941, Riga), Malka-Ester Koblenc, née Rabinovich (1898, Riga — 1941, Riga), and Rakhil Rabukhina, née Rabinovich (1902, Riga — 1941, Riga) — perished in the Holocaust. His brother Yakov Rabinovich (1885(?), Riga — 1942, Solikamsk) was tried and died in a corrective labour camp. His brother Abram Rabinovich (1897(?), Riga — 1942, Leningrad) died during the Siege of Leningrad. His brother Hirsh Rabinovich (1890, Riga — 1961, Riga) lived and worked in Riga in the post-war years, and his brother Hilel Rabinovich (1900, Riga) lived in Leningrad after the war.
In 1963 Bers Rabinovich emigrated to Israel at the invitation of his brother and lived in Tel Aviv.
Family:
Ida Rabinovich, née Schmidt (1904, Kamai, Lithuania) — wife
Iosif Rabinovich (1937, Riga) — son
Riva Rabinovich (1931, Riga) — daughter
Rubin Rabinovich (1859, Lida, Lithuania — 1938, Riga) — father
Ita Rabinovich (1863, Zhagare, Lithuania — 1930, Riga) — mother
Shmuel Rabinovich (1882(?), Riga — 1927, Riga) — brother
Yakov Rabinovich (1885(?), Riga — 1942, Solikamsk) — brother
Shleime-Akiva Rabinovich (1888, Riga — 1967, Tel Aviv) — brother
Girsh Rabinovich (1890, Riga — 1961, Riga) — brother
Khana Treger, née Rabinovich (1892, Riga — 1941, Riga) — sister
Abram Rabinovich (1897(?), Riga — 1942, Leningrad) — brother
Malka-Ester Koblenc, née Rabinovich (1898, Riga — 1941, Riga) — sister
Hilel Rabinovich (1900, Riga) — brother
Rakhil Rabukhina, née Rabinovich (1902, Riga — 1941, Riga) — sister