Ephraim-Fishel Popowski (Dromi) was born on 15 Iyar 1890 (13/05/1890) in Siedlce, Poland, to his father Moshe Baruch Popovsky (Lamdan and Hasid) and to his mother Chana, the daughter of Yosef Pirnik.
He studied in a Hedder and in Yeshivas and educated himself in general knowledge. In 1914 he married Ataria, daughter of Chaim Zilberberg.
Worked for the Head Office of the JNF in Poland. Was a member of the District Committee and the Council of Zionist party. Member of the community board in Siedlce and one of the founders of “Tarbut” school in Siedlce.
Wrote articles in the local Yiddish weekly. Was among the founders of the Popular Ffraction movement in Poland.
At the beginning of 1933 he immigrated to Israel with his family. At first, he worked as an industrial worker in the building supplies industry, and then he was received as a clerk for the institutions of the Histadrut Labor Federation, working at “Mish’an” center by the Executive Committee of the Organization. He served in public roles as deputy chairman of the National Committee for the Shekel and its honorary treasurer, and as a member of the Executive Committee the Progressive party.
He helped establish the Association of Siedlce, was its first chairman and also served as a board member for the charity fund named after the saints of Siedlce. He wrote in the “Yizkor” book for Siedlce’s community and participated in its editing.
His descendents: Tova, the wife of David Barkai, Moshe, Yitzhak, Yosef, Asher R.I.P. (a lieutenant colonel in the IDF, who was killed after the Sinai Campaign in a plane crash together with the late Major General Asaf Simhoni). A page in Asher’s memory is inlcuded in this site.
He died on 27 Feb 1967 and is burried in Kiryat Shaul cemetary, Tel Aviv.
Several testimonies of Fishel Popowski can be read in the site, including “Ha’Halutz and Tzeirei Zion“, “Education for Zionism and Aliyah“, “First Secret Meeting“, “Siedlce the Zionist city“, “About the community“, “Hebrew Studies“, “The Hebrew Schools” and more.