ZKHARYE LORBER (SAMUEL Z. LORBER)

ZKHARYE LORBER (SAMUEL Z. LORBER) (March 13, 1885-March 6, 1951)

            He was born in Berdichev, Ukraine.  In his youth his father wrote for: Halevanon (Lebanon), Haivri (The Jew), Hatsfira (The siren), Hakol (The voice), and Kol mevaser (Herald).  Lorber received a Jewish as well as a secular education.  He was at first active in the Zionist movement, later with the Bund.  He often appeared at the illegal “skodkes” (councils) of the Berdichev organization of the party.  He also began to write at this time.  His first articles appeared in Hatsofe (The spectator) in Warsaw in 1904.  In 1905 he made his way to the United States.  He was involved in the Jewish “agitation bureau,” later in the Jewish Socialist Federation, and later still in the Jewish Socialist Union and the Workmen’s Circle.  He excelled as a speaker and, during his lecture tour on assignment from the socialist “agitation bureau” in 1910, he wrote correspondence pieces for Forverts (Forward) in New York.  He later settled in Chicago, completed his education, and became a dentist.  Over the years 1913-1915, he wrote for the Chicago edition of Forverts, and 1915-1918 for the Cleveland-based Idishe velt (Jewish world); from 1921 he was a regular contributor to Forverts in New York.  He also used such pen names as A. Shraybman, A. Berdichever, and Y. Viktor in writing editorials and feature pieces.  He died in Chicago.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 2; Y. Sigal, in Der veker (New York) (March 15, 1951; April 15, 1951); Sigal, in Forverts (New York) (March 7, 1951; March 13, 1951).

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