Esther-Rukhl Kaminski

Esther-Rukhl Kaminski (b. Halpern; also Kaminska) was born to a poor family in Poruzeve, Russian Empire (today Porazava, Belarus), near Grodno. She was self-educated and worked for a time as a milliner before entering the theater. She debuted in 1888 under the direction of Avrom-Yitskhok Kaminski, whom she married five years later. Renowned for her performances in the plays of Jacob Gordin, Esther-Rukhl helped establish prominent art theaters in the Russian Empire and Poland, including the Vilna Troupe and the Warsaw Yiddish Art Theater. She also performed in several early silent films. Her daughter Ida Kaminska was a leading director and actor in the Yiddish theater.