MORIS BLUMENSHTOK (MORRIS BLUMENSTOCK)

MORIS BLUMENSHTOK (MORRIS BLUMENSTOCK) (1885-November 8, 1947)

Born in Lublin, Poland, to poor parents, he attended his father’s religious primary school and while still quite young became a laborer.  At that time he stood with the Bund, and during the revolution (1905-1906) he became politically active in Lublin.  He was arrested on one occasion.  Late in 1906 he emigrated to the United States and settled in New York.  He worked in various trades, later becoming a bookkeeper.  He was one of the founders of the Lublin branch of the Workmen’s Circle, and he was an active leader in the Lublin Relief Committee.  He served as executive director of the Federation of Polish Jews in America.  He was the editor of the monthly journal Der lubliner (The Lubliner) (New York, 1935-1936), in which he published, aside from topical articles, humorous songs and human-interest pieces.  He died in New York.