HONEKH

HONEKH

A. Kohen, possibly identical with Urye Kohen, a cousin of Yankev Kohen (a former follower of the Jewish Enlightenment who moved to the United States and edited there Hibru nyus [Hebrew news], one of the first Jewish weeklies in New York.)  Using the pseudonym, “Ish ploni vekohen” (Mr. So-and-So, a Cohen), he published in Kol mevaser (Herald) a number of articles in which he sharply criticized the traditional religious educational system of Jews.  He later moved to St. Petersburg and there worked as treasurer for Yozl Gintsburg.  He was the author of the book, R. shloyme vunderhald, a historishe ertseylung (R. Shloyme Vunderhald, a historical tale) (Vilna, 1887), 152 pp.  In his foreword, the author noted that his story dealt with bloody persecutions in Poyzen (Poznań) in 1836.  “From precisely 150 years ago this past Rosh Hashanah eve, numerous persons figure in my story with their correct names.  Others have been added and their characters are jumbled from various times.”  On the title page of his book, it is written in Russian that A. Kagan is from Grodno.  Other biographical details remain unknown.

Sources: Mikhl Hacohen Sinai, in Grodner opklangen (Buenos Aires) 5-6 (November-December 1951), p. 11.