YOZEF GROS

YOZEF GROS (October 12, 1880-February 19, 1951)

            He was born in Kiev, Ukraine.  In 1890 he was brought to the United States, and he was raised in Philadelphia where he studied and became a lawyer.  He was well-known as a community and cultural leader.  In 1916 he was a delegate from Philadelphia to the founding meeting of the American Jewish Congress.  He served as a radio commentator, in Yiddish and in English, for many years in Philadelphia.  Over the years 1906-1909, he published current events articles, reportage pieces, and impressions, and he led a department for legal matters for Der literarisher shtral (The literary ray) and Pensilveynyer shtaats-tsaytung (Pennsylvania state newspaper) in 1895; Filadelfiya ameriken (Philadelphia American) in 1908-1909; Filadelfyer prese (Philadelphia press) in 1913, for which he also served on the editorial board; Di yidishe velt (The Jewish world) in Philadelphia; Morgn-zhurnal (Morning journal) in New York; and as well in the English-language press.  He died in Philadelphia.  Temple University designated an annual stipend in his name.

Sources: D. B. Tirkel, in Pinkes (New York) 1 (1927-1928), pp. 161-61; Moses Freeman, Fuftsig yor geshikhte fun idishn lebn in filadelfye, 1879-1929 (Fifty years of Jewish life in Philadelphia, 1879-1929) (Philadelphia, 1929), pp. 34, 261.