DOVID GISER

DOVID GISER (1881-July 25, 1947)

            He was born in Britshan (Rom. Briceni; Rus. Brichany), Bessarabia.  He studied in religious primary school and with private tutors.  He lost his home while still young and wandered across Europe, lived in France and England, and from there emigrated to the United States.  He settled in New York in 1910.  In 1912 he moved to San Francisco.  He lived for a time in Los Angeles, where he contributed to the founding of the local Jewish public school.  He also worked in the sanatorium which would later become famous with the name “The City of Hope.”  In 1915 he returned to New York.  He began writing current events articles in: Fraye arbeter shtime (Free voice of labor), Varhayt (Truth), and others.  In 1927 he became editor of Kalifornyer yidishe shtime (Jewish voice of California) in Los Angeles.  He took a position close to anarchist circles and was active in various community and cultural undertakings.  He was working on a history of Jews in California (the manuscript is held by his family).  He died in San Francisco.

Sources: Y. Kahan, Di yidishe anarkhistishe bavegung in amerike (The Jewish anarchist movement in America) (Philadelphia, 1945); Y. Sh. Naumov, in Kheshbn (Los Angeles) 5 (1954).