SHMUEL VARSHO

SHMUEL VARSHO (1914-1942)

            He was born in Maltsh (Malecz), near Pruzhane (Prużana), Byelorussia.  From age six he was raised in the nearby town of Antopol (Antopolye).  He received a rigorous religious education and made a name for himself as a prodigy.  At age fourteen he was already leading the local youth organization “Hashomer Hadati” (The religious guard).  He was also among the leadership of the society “Tiferet Baḥurim” (Glory of young men).  He studied thereafter in the yeshiva of Kamenets-Litovsk.  He began his writing activities around 1930, and from that point contributed work to Orthodox publications, such as: Dos vort (The word) in Vilna; Dos yudishe togblat (The Jewish daily newspaper) in Warsaw; and the journal Darkenu (Our way).  In 1936 he was editor of the journal Kneset bet yitsḥak (Congregation of the House of Isaac).  He was murdered by the Nazis during WWII.

Sources: Information from his friend from youth, R. Yankev Fester, and from his uncle, Avrom Varsho.

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