YISROEL-ZEV FRISHBERG

YISROEL-ZEV FRISHBERG (May 18, 1874-October 18, 1955)

            He was born in Druzhne, Podolia.  He studied in religious elementary school and synagogue study hall, and secular knowledge he studied on his own.  At age sixteen he became a Hebrew teacher in Kostopol (Kostopil) and later in Berdichev.  He was active in Zionist work primarily in the field of Hebrew education.  In 1904 he came to the United States.  For a time he was active in the Labor Zionist movement, later switching to Mizrachi.  In his youth he began writing Hebrew poetry.  He debuted in print with an essay following the Kishinev pogrom in Der fraynd (The friend) in St. Petersburg (1903).  In 1905 he published a series of letters from America in Der veg (The way) in Warsaw.  He was later among the first contributors to the Labor Zionist organ Der idisher kemfer (The Jewish fighter) in Philadelphia—aside from articles, he also published here a translation of Y. Ḥ. Brenner’s Arum a pintele (Around a point [original: Misaviv lenekuda]) over the period 1906-1907, as well as translations of Ḥ. N. Bialik, Aḥad-Haam, and others.  His work appeared in: Der id (The Jew), Dos idishe folk (The Jewish people), Idishes tageblat (Jewish daily newspaper), Varhayt (Truth), Morgn-zhurnal (Morning journal), and Der tog (The day), among others.  Over the years 1942-1949, he served as co-editor of Der mizrakhi-veg (The Mizrachi way) in New York.  His work in Hebrew appeared in: Haleom (The nation), Hayom (Today), Shevilim (Pathways), Hatoran (The duty officer), Miklat (Sanctuary), Eden (Eden), Noar (Youth), Shevile haḥinukh (Educational paths), Luaḥ aḥiasef, Hadoar (The mail), Aviv (Spring), Ben hador (Son of the generation), Haḥinukh haivri (Hebrew education), and Hamore (The teacher)—he also edited the last four of these.  His books in Hebrew include: Hazeman harishon (The first time) (New York, 1912), 28 pp.; Im hador (With the generation) (New York, 1932), 285 pp.; Reshit, limud kriya velashon (First, study reading and language) (New York, 1947); and others.  In Yiddish: Vos iz yidishe ertsihung? (What is a Jewish education?) (New York, 1917), 16 pp.  He died in New York.  In his memory was published Sefer zikaron ley. z. frishberg (Memorial volume for Y. Z. Frishberg) (New York, 1958), 98 pp.

Sources: P. Vyernik, in Morgn-zhurnal (New York) (January 10, 1932); obituary notices in the Yiddish press (October 19, 1955); Yoysef Kohen, in Idisher kemfer (New York) (March 23, 1956); Daniel Perski, in Hadoar (New York) (Tevet 1 [= December 16], 1955); Y. N. Adler, in Shevile haḥinukh (New York) (Winter 1955/1956); M. Ginzburg, in Keneder odler (Montreal) (July 21, 1958); A. R. Malachi et al., in Sefer zikaron ley. z. frishberg (Memorial volume for Y. Z. Frishberg) (New York, 1958).

Khayim Leyb Fuks