Saturday 28 September 2019

ARN-YOYSEF SHMERLER


ARN-YOYSEF SHMERLER (June 17, 1883-)
            He was a journalist, born with the original surname of Shmerlitski in Solotvine (Solotvyn), Galicia.  In 1902 he made his way to the United States and in 1914 to Toronto.  He studied chemistry at the Toronto polytechnical school.  He began writing articles on labor issues for Idishe zhurnal (Jewish journal), and in 1915 he became a regular contributor.  He also placed work in the socialist monthly Di naye tsayt (The new times) and later in the Labor Zionist daily Di tsayt (The times) in New York.  He also translated items from English and German into Yiddish (under the pen name H. Rays) as well as several longer works, such as Albert Edwards’s novel Comrade Yetta and Jack London’s short stories (under the pen name Yoysef Nardovski).

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4.
Berl Cohen

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 531.]


KHONE (CHONE) SHMERUK


KHONE (CHONE) SHMERUK (January 5, 1921-July 7, 1997)
            He was a literary historian and researcher, born in Warsaw, Poland.  He attended a “cheder metukan” (improved religious elementary school), graduated from M. Krinski’s high school in Warsaw, and went on to study at the local university history and literature, while at the same time topics in Judaica.  From 1939 to 1946, he was a refugee in in the Soviet Union.  He spent the next three years (1946-1949) at a refugee camp in Stuttgart, and from 1949 he lived in Israel.  Over the decade 1951-1961, he studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and he then worked as an instructor there.  In 1961 he received his doctoral degree for a dissertation entitled Hakibuts hayehudi ṿehahityashvut haḥaklait hayehudit bebyelorusya hasovyetit (1918-1932) (The Jewish community and Jewish agricultural settlement in Soviet Byelorussia, 1918-1932) (Jerusalem, 1961), 192 pp.  He was an assistant and then an associate professor (1961-1970), and from 1971 a full professor and head of the Yiddish department at the Hebrew University.  He was a guest professor of Yiddish literature at: Columbia, Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Oxford Universities, as well as at YIVO in New York.  He contributed work to Hebrew and Yiddish scholarly and general journals: Pinkes (Records), Yidishe shprakh (Yiddish language), Tsukunft (Future), Di goldene keyt (The golden chain); Molad (Birth), Tsiyon (Zion), Gesher (Bridge), Gilad (Gilead), Hasifrut (Literature), Beḥinut (Examination), and Haomer (The word), among others.  He compiled, edited, or co-edited: Pirsumim yehudiim babrit-hamoatsot, 1917-1961 (Jewish publications in the Soviet Union, 1917-1961) (Jerusalem, 1962), 502 pp.; Shpigl af a shteyn, antologye, poezye un proze fun tsvelf farshnitene yidishe shraybers in ratn-farband (A mirror on a star, anthology, poetry and prose from twelve murdered Jewish writers in the Soviet Union) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1964), 32 pp. + 812 pp.; Medresh itsik, itsik manger (Itzik’s midrash, Itzik Manger) (Jerusalem: Hebrew University, 1969), 28 pp. + 227 pp.; Yosef perl, maasiyot veigrot (Joseph Perl, stories and letters), with Shmuel Verses (Jerusalem, 1969/1970), 246 pp.; Tarbut yehudit babrit-hamoatsot (Jewish culture in the Soviet Union), with M. Zand (Jerusalem, 1973), 82 pp.; Yitskhok Bashevis, Der shpigl un andere dertseylungen (The mirror and other stories) (Jerusalem: Hebrew University, 1975), 319 pp.; Ḥalifat igrot beyn s. y. abramovits, uveyn . n. bialik ve y. . ravnitski beshanim 1905-1908 (Exchange of letters between S. Y. Abramovitsh and . N. Bialik and Y. H. Ravnitski over the period 1905-1908) (Jerusalem, 1975/1976), 163 pp.; Shalom Alekhem, Ketavim ivriyim (Hebrew writings) (Jerusalem: Mossad Bialik, 1976), 367 pp.  He also published a series of pieces as offprints, and a portion of his research work on old and modern Yiddish literature would include: Sifrut yehude berit-hamoatsot biyemot hashoa ṿeaḥareha (Literature from the Jews in the Soviet Union in the era of the Holocaust and thereafter) (Jerusalem: Yad Vashem, 1960), 75 pp.; “Mizrekh eropeyishe nuskhoes fun der tsene-rene” (Eastern European editions of the Tsenerene), in Maks vaynraykhn tsu zayn zibetsiksṭn geboyrntog, shṭudyes vegn shprakhn bay yidn, vegn yidishe literatur un gezelshaft (For Max Weinreich on his seventieth birthday, studies in Jewish languages, concerning Yiddish literature and society) (The Hague: Mouton, 1964); “Di moyshe rabenu beshraybung” (The description of Moses), in Di goldene keyt ()Tel Aviv 50 (1964); “Di altyidishe literatur” (Old Yiddish literature), in Pinkes (New York) 3 (1975); Kavim ledemuta shel sifrut yidish bepolin uveliṭa ad gezerot ta vetat (Characters of Yiddish literature in Poland and Lithuanian up to the evil decrees of 1648-1649), in Tarbits (Academy) (Nisan-Elul [= March-September] 1977); Reshima bibliografit shel defuse polin beyidish ad gezerot ta vetat (Bibliographical listing of Yiddish presses in Poland until the evil decrees of 1648-1649), Kiryat sefer (Library) (Jerusalem) 52 (1977).  He also contributed articles on Yiddish literature to Entsiklopediya ivrit (Hebrew encyclopedia) (Jerusalem) and Encyclopaedia Judaica (Jerusalem, 1977).  In book form: Peretses yiesh-vizye, interpretatsye fun y. l. perets baynakhṭ afn alten mark un kritishe oysgabe fun der drame (Perets’s despairing vision, interpretation of Y. L. Perets, At Night in the Old Marketplace and a critical edition of the play) (New York: YIVO, 1971), 362 pp.; Sifrut yidish, perakim letoldoteha (Yiddish literature, chapters in its history) (Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv University, 1978), 339 pp.; Shalom-alekhem, madrikh leḥayaṿ veliyetsirato (Sholem-Aleykhem, a guide to his life and creative work) (Tel Aviv, 1980), 92 pp.  He died in Warsaw.




Sources: Getzel Kressel, Leksikon hasifrut haivrit (Handbook of Hebrew literature), vol. 2 (Meravya, 1967); Ben-Tsien Goldberg, in Tog-morgn-zhurnal (New York) (April 8, 1962); Shloyme Bikl, in Tog-morgn-zhurnal (March 21, 1965); Arn Glants, in Tog-morgn-zhurnal (October 23, 1966); A. Blat, in Hatsofe (Tevet 3 [= January 10], 1970); Arn Tsaytlin, in Di goldene keyt (Tel Aviv) 75 (1972); Yitskhok Bashevis, in Forverts (New York) (October 27, 1972).
Yekhezkl Lifshits


Friday 27 September 2019

LEO SHMELTSINGER


LEO SHMELTSINGER (July 23, 1901-September 8, 1971)
            He was born in Brok, Lomzhe region.  He attended religious elementary school and yeshivas.  He worked as a religious teacher for Jewish children in Polish “Povshekhne” schools, and from 1928 he was a teacher of Yiddish and Yiddish literature in the schools, in the teachers’ seminary, and in the “people’s university” in Rio de Janeiro.  He wrote literary and pedagogical essays and feuilletons for Idishe prese (Jewish press) in Rio.  In book form: Fartseykhnte shmuesn (Recorded chats) (Rio: Folks-universitet, 1967), 309 pp.  He also wrote under the pen name: A. Avres.  He died in Rio de Janeiro.

Sources: Mortkhe Tsanin, in Letste nayes (Tel Aviv) (October 4, 1967); Yitskhok-Zelik Rayzman, Yidishe sheferishkayt in lender fun portugalishn loshn, portugal un brazil (Jewish creativity in lands of the Portuguese language, Portugal and Brazil) (Tsfat: Muzeon leomanut hadefus, 1975), pp. 312-16.
Byele Gottesman


DAVID SHIMONI


DAVID SHIMONI (August 22, 1891-December 10, 1956)
            He was a Hebrew-language poet, born Dovid Shimonovitsh in Babruysk, Byelorussia.  From late 1920 he was living in the land of Israel.  He was one of the most important Hebrew poets in “Shevet bnei Bialik” (Tribe of Bialik).  He authored a series of poetry and prose works.  He composed poetry in Yiddish very infrequently—and only over the period 1905-1912/1913—according to Zalmen Reyzen, “several dozen”; according to B. Shoetman, around twelve; and according to Dov Sadan, around six.  In his youth he belonged to the Zionist socialist party and composed its first Yiddish-language proclamation.  He also published several translations into Yiddish, and others translated some twenty-four of his poems into Yiddish.  He published poems in: Vilna’s Unzer veg (Our way), Der nayer veg (The new way), Dos vort (The word), Folksshtime (Voice of the people), Yontef-bleter (Holiday sheets) (1913), Di shtime (The voice), Avrom Reyzen’s Sukes blat, literarishe zamlung (Sukkot sheet, literary collection), Dos yohr (The year), Zamlung (Collection) (Warsaw-New York, 1911), Koheles (Ecclesiastes) (1912), and Haynt (Today), among others.  His work also appeared with many others’ poems in translation in: Morris Basin, 500 yor yidishe poezye (500 years of Yiddish poetry) (New York, 1922); Moyshe Basok, Dos bukh fun der nay-erets-yisroeldiker poezye, antologye (Volume of poetry from the new Land of Israel, anthology) (Warsaw, 1936); Shmuel Niger, Kidesh hashem, a zamlung geklibene, oft gekritste barikhtn, briv, khronikes, tsavoes, oyfshriftn, legendes, lider, dertseylungen, dramatishe stsenes, eseyen, vos moln oys mesires-nefesh in undzere un oykh in frierdike tsaytn (Sanctification of the name, an anthology selected, often abridged report, letters, chronicles, wills, inscriptions, legends, poems, stories, dramatic scenes, essays, which depict martyrdom in our present and earlier times) (New York: Tsiko, 1947); Der yidisher gedank in der nayer tsayt, dokumentn, eseyen un oystsugn (Jewish thought in modern times: documents, essays, and extracts) (New York, 1957).  He separately published Di matseyve (The gravestone), trans. Shmuel Zaromb (Warsaw, 1937), 47 pp.  He died in Tel Aviv.


Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Meylekh Ravitsh, Mayn leksikon (My lexicon), vol. 3 (Montreal, 1958); Getzel Kressel, Leksikon hasifrut haivrit (Handbook of Hebrew literature), vol. 2 (Meravya, 1967); D. Tidhar, in Entsiklopedyah lealutse hayishuv uvonav (Encyclopedia of the pioneers and builders of the yishuv), vol. 2 (Tel Aviv, 1947); Joseph Klausner, David ahimoni (shimonoviṭs) hameshorer vehoge hadeot (David Shimoni [Shimonovits], the poet and the thinker) (Jerusalem, 1947/1948), bibliography prepared by Barukh Shoetman; Dov Sadan, Avne miftan, masot al sofre yidish (Milestones, essays on Yiddish writers), vol. 3 (Tel Aviv, 1972), p. 339; Zalman Shazar, Opshatsungen un eseyen (Assessments and essays) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1976), pp. 70-80.

Berl Cohen


Wednesday 18 September 2019

NAKHMEN SHEMEN


NAKHMEN SHEMEN (March 15, 1912-1993)
            He was researcher, born in Chodel, Poland.  He came from a Hassidic-rabbinic family.  At age nineteen he received ordination into the rabbinate.  From 1930 he was living in Toronto, and from that point he contributed work to Toronto’s Der idisher zhurnal (the Jewish journal).  In it he published a variety of literary writings, mainly on Jewish religious and ethnic themes.  He also contributed to: Tog (Day), Tog-morgn-zhurnal (Day-morning journal), Amerikaner (American), Nyu-yorker vokhnblat (New York weekly newspaper), and Shuhl-leben (School life) in New York; Keneder odler (Canadian eagle) in Montreal, Dos idishe vort (The Jewish word) in Winnipeg, Der veg (The way) in Mexico City, Der veg in Chicago, Di prese (The press) in Buenos Aires, and Di idishe velt (The Jewish world) in Philadelphia, among others.  He also wrote for Orthodox Hebrew-language newspapers.  His works include: Fashizm in eyropa, zayn prognose un dyagnoze (Fascism in Europe, its prognosis and diagnosis) (Toronto, 1934), 193 pp.; Tsvishn krig un friden (Between war and peace) (Toronto, 1939), 324 pp.; Yude-leyb groybart (Yehuda-Leyb Groybart) (Toronto, 1943), 38 pp.; Harav r’ yude rozenberg (Rabbi Yude Rozenberg) (Toronto, 1943), 10 pp.; Di batsiung tsum fremden, loyt tanakh, talmud un rabonishe literatur (Attitudes toward strangers, following the Tanakh, Talmud, and rabbinical literature) (Toronto, 1945), 248 pp.; Di byografye fun a varshever rov, harov tsvi yekhezkl mikhlzon (The biography of a Warsaw rabbi, Rabbi Tsvi Yekhezkl Mikhlson) (Montreal: Der keneder odler, 1948), 88 pp.; Lublin, shtot fun toyre, rabones un khsides (Lublin, city of Torah, rabbinate, and Hassidism) (Toronto, 1951), 541 pp.; Dos gezang fun khsides, di rol fun khsidizm in undzere doyres (The song of Hassidism, the role of Hassidism in our generations) (Buenos Aires: Central Organization of Polish Jews in Argentina, 1959), 2 vols.; Batsiung tsu arbet un arbeter, sotsyale yoysher loyt toyre, talmud un yaades (Attitudes toward work and workers, social justice according to Torah, Talmud, and Judaism) (Toronto, 1963), 3 vols.; Batsiung tsu der froy, loyt toyre, talmud, yaades un literatur-shtudyes (Attitudes toward women, according to Torah, Talmud, Judaism, and literary studies) (Buenos Aires: Argentina YIVO Library, 1968-1969), 2 vols.; Kdushe in yidishn familye-lebn, loyt toyre, talmud, yaades un literatur-shtudyes (Sanctity in family life, according to Torah, Talmud, Judaism, and literary studies) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1977-1978), 2 vols.  He also edited, with Yankev-Yitskhok Vohlgelernter, the collection: Yoyvl bukh, 25 yoriger yubiley talmud toyre “eyts khayim” (Jubilee volume for the twenty-fifty anniversary of the Talmud Torah “Tree of Life”) (Toronto, 1943).  Among his pen names: Nakhmani, A Reporter, An Eygener, and Bar-Nash.  His surname at birth was Boymeyl.

Sources: Hillel Rogof, in Forverts (New York) (December 23, 1945); Yankev Glatshteyn, in Idisher kemfer (New York) (September 2, 1949); Y. Varshavski (Y. Bashevis-Zinger), in Forverts (December 30, 1951); A. Mukdoni, in Morgn-zhurnal (New York) (April 6, 1952); Yitskhok Yanasovitsh, in Di naye tsayt (Buenos Aires) (February 28, 1964); Nosn Sverdlin, in Tog-morgn-zhurnal (New York) (December 20, 1964); Arn Tsaytlin, in Tog-morgn-zhurnal (November 29, 1969).
Khayim Leyb Fuks


SHLOYME SHAMIR


SHLOYME SHAMIR (b. March 29, 1937)
            He was born in Tel Aviv, descended from a Hassidic family.  He studied in yeshivas in Israel.  From 1972 he was living in New York.  He wrote reportage pieces and Hassidic stories in: Shearim (Gates), Ponim al ponim (Face to face), Yediot aḥaranot (Latest news), and Haarets (The land)—in Tel Aviv.  From 1972 he was regular contributor to Algemeyner zhurnal (General journal) in New York with a weekly article on Israeli political issues.  His original family name was: Shoyrts.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), cols. 530-31.


SHAMIR


SHAMIR
            An unclear pseudonym, he was the author of such storybooks as: A mayse fun aseres-hashvotim in sambatyen (A tale of the Ten [Lost] Tribes in the Sambation) (Warsaw: A. Boymritter, 1900/1901), 31 pp., later edition (Vilna, 1910); Mayse fun frumen r’ tuvye un zayn vayb khane (A tale of the pious Reb Tuvye and his wife Hannah) (Warsaw), 32 pp.; Mayse fun meylekh nevukhednetser mit zayne khloymes (A tale of King Nevuchadnezzar and his dreams) (Pyetrkov, 1901/1902), 24 pp., later edition (Vilna, 1909/1910); Mayse fun fertsig gazlonim (Tale of forty robbers) (Warsaw, 1901/1902), 27 pp.; Mayse fun di royte yudlekh (Tale of the ruddy young Jews) (Warsaw, 1901/1902), 28 pp., later edition (Vilna, 1910), 57 pp.; Der shakh perski (The Shah Perski); and Mayse fun englishe ofitsyeren (Tale of English officers).

Source: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4.
Berl Cohen


SIEGFRIED SCHMITZ


SIEGFRIED SCHMITZ (b. December 27, 1886)
            He was a German Jewish journalist, born in Neititschen, Moravia.  He wrote a great deal in German Jewish journals about Yiddish literature, Jewish folklore, and the like.  From 1910 he translated a series of works from Yiddish into German, mostly with the Vienna publishing house of R. Löwit: Y. L. Perets, Die goldene Kette (The golden chain [original Di goldene keyt]) (1918, 1923); In Fesseln (Detained [original: In polish af der keyt (Detained in the synagogue anteroom)] (1919, 1923); Aus dieser und jener Welt (From the this and the other world), selected stories (1919); L. Shapiro, Die Stadt der Toten und andere Erzählungen (The city of the dead and other stories) (Berlin: Welt-Verlag, 1922); Sholem-Aleichem, Menachem Mendel (Menakhem-mendl) (1922); Sholem-Aleichem, Marienbad (Marienbad) (1923); Sholem Asch, Onkel Moses (Uncle Moses [original: Onkl mozes]) (1926); Asch, Die Mutter (The mother [original: Di muter]) (1928); Asch, Chaim Lederers Rückkehr (The return Khayim Lederer’s [original: Khayem lederers tsurikkumen]) (193?); Yoysef Opatoshu, Der letzte Waldjude (Berlin: Welt-Verlag, 1928); Mendele Moykher-Sforim, Der Klepper (Di klyatshe [The nag]); Dovid Ignatov, Im talkessel (In keslgrub [In the crucible]); and others as well.  With M. Weiner, he published Sippurim (Stories), a collected of Yiddish legends (Berlin, 1926, 1927); and with M. Präger; he revised Jüdische Schwänke (Jewish stories) (1928).

Source: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4.
Berl Cohen


PINKHES SHMAYER


PINKHES SHMAYER (1904-February 25, 1981)
            He was born in Lodz.  In 1925 he settled in Saarbrücken, Germany.  From 1933 he was in Paris.  He was active in the Bund.  From 1952 he contributed to Unzer shtime (Our voice) in Paris and from 1973 served as its editor.  He died in Paris.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 530.


FROYM SHMIDT


FROYM SHMIDT (b. January 2, 1914)
            He was born in Antwerp.  He attended “Yesode tora” (Foundations of the Torah).  He was a diamond merchant.  From time to time, he published poems and notices in Unzer vort (Our word) in Paris.  He edited the Yiddish-Flemish periodical Di tsentrale (The central).  In book form: Ester, teater-shpil in 5 aktn (Esther, a theater play in five acts), with a Hebrew translation by Menaem Ser (Tel Aviv: Hamenorah, 1975), 203 pp.; and in Flemish a volume on the history of the Jews of Antwerp (Antwerp, 1963), 302 pp.
Ruvn Goldberg


LAZAR SHMUSHMAN (SMUSMAN)


LAZAR SHMUSHMAN (SMUSMAN) (b. 1885)
            He came from Bessarabia to Paris, where he was a laborer.  In an old-age home, he wrote Poemen (Poems) (Paris, 1963), 69 pp.

Source: Unzer shtime (Paris) 104 (1965).
Berl Cohen


L. SHMUKLER


L. SHMUKLER
            He was the author of the play Davidka filozof (Davidka the philosopher) (New York, 1923), 64 pp.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 530.


SH. L. SHMUELSON


SH. L. SHMUELSON (d. November 30, 1941)
            The author of fables, he was born in Riga, where he lived his whole life.  He wrote fables for the Riga daily newspaper Frimorgn (Morning), for which he was frequently co-editor, as well as for Riger shriftn (Riga writings) and the Kovno Yiddish press.  In book form: Mesholim (Fables), 2 vols. (Riga: Bikher far ale, 1935), 38 pp. and 27 pp.  He also translated a great deal from Latvian into Yiddish.  He died in the Riga ghetto.

Source: Yizker-almanakh fun riger relif (Remembrance almanac of Riga relief) 3 (New York, 1948).
Berl Cohen


SHLOYME SHMULEVITSH (SOLOMON SMALL)


SHLOYME SHMULEVITSH (SOLOMON SMALL) (April 13, 1868-January 1, 1943)
            He was a folk poet, born in Pinsk.  His mother died while in labor with him and his father, a cantor, when he was twelve.  He then became a tailor’s apprentice and a choirboy to cantors, and he traveled about with a theatrical troupe.  He wrote poetry, set them to accompanying melodies, and sang them in various and sundry cities.  In 1884 he attended Rameyle’s circle in Vilna, later settling in Minsk.  He became a wedding entertainer, wrote poems with music for wedding entertainers, and also composed tunes for numerous poems in the plays of Shomer (pseud. Nokhum-Meyer Shaykevitsh).  In 1891 he made his way to the United States, where he appeared in concert with his own songs, together with his only daughter Dorothy.  Shmulevitsh wrote about 500 poems with melodies, ten one-act operettas for the Yiddish theater and Yiddish vaudeville houses, and musical comedies, such as: Der yoysher (Justice), Baym bezdn shel mayle (At the heavenly court), Fraytik af hester strit (Friday on Hester Street), Pastekh un printsesin (Shepherd and princess), and Fun glik tsum shtrik (From happiness to the rope).  A series of his songs became popular as folksongs and were sung at concerts and by the people in many countries, such as “Dos talesl” (The little prayer shawl), “A brivele der mamen” (A letter to Mother), “Khave” (Eve), “Vayiten lekho” (And he gave him), “Dos blumen-krentsele” (The little flower garland), “Di seyder-nakht” (The night of the Passover seder), “Elis ayland” (Ellis Island), and “Al tashlikheynu” (Forsake us not), among others.  “Khave” was so popular that Feodor Chaliapin included it in his repertoire.  Some of his poems appeared in: Morris Basin, 500 yor yidishe poezye (500 years of Yiddish poetry) (New York, 1922); Yoyel Entin, Yidishe poetn, hantbukh fun yidisher dikhtung (Yiddish poets, a handbook of Yiddish poetry) (New York: Jewish National Labor Alliance and Labor Zionist Party, 1927); Nakhmen Mayzil, Amerike in yidishn vort (America in the Yiddish word) (New York, 1955); and Shmuel Rozhanski, Di froy in der yidisher poezye (Women in Yiddish poetry) (Buenos Aires, 1966); and Rozhanski, Nord-amerikanish, antologye (North American, anthology) (Buenos Aires: YIVO in Argentina, 1977).
            In notebook and book form: Tsehn naye yudishe folks-lieder (Ten new Yiddish folksongs), “written with harmony and musical accompaniment” (Vilna: Rozenkrants-Shriftzetster, 1891), 64 pp.; Der theater zinger (The theater singer), “ten popular songs” (New York, 1905-1909), five notebooks; Lieder (Songs) (New York, 1913), 186 pp., later edition (1919); Poezi un lieder (Poetry and songs) (New York, 1916), 195 pp.; Originele retenishn (Original riddle) (New York, 1918) (a second volume in Yiddish and English, 1938), 40 pp.; Odem horishn, a dramatishe poeme (Adam, the first man, a dramatic poem) (New York, 1936), 32 pp.; Fun unzer folks-kval, legendes un baladen (From our people’s source, legends and ballads) (Brooklyn, 1940), 64 pp.  He often published single poems, such as: A brivele der mamen, In der frayer republik (In the free republic), or Zay mayn liedel mir a hamer (Let my poem be a hammer for me) (New York, 1907), each 4 pp., and A hayntigs meydel (A girl today) (New York, 1932), 3 pp.—and a large number of songs for the piano.  Shmulevitsh’s songs and fables were from time to time published in American Yiddish newspapers.  He died in New York.
            “One of the last Mohicans,” wrote Zalmen Reyzen, “of the wedding entertainer’s art,…he excelled in his authentic folk tone.  His simple, uncontrived songs, permeated with a profound compassion for the sufferings of the people, often also an ethnic tenor,…for many years nourished the repertoire of Jewish popular and street singers in America, England, and at one time in Poland and Russia.”

            One should not confuse Shloyme Shmulevitsh with SH. H. SHMULEVITS, considered the author of Sefer niflaot haniflaot (The book of wonders of wonders), “a rare historical description” (Warsaw: Y. Breyzblat, 1912), 37 pp.  There is also a certain SHMUEL SHMULEVITS, the author of the storybook Di raykhe printsesin (The wealthy princess).

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Zalmen Zilbertsvayg, Leksikon fun yidishn teater (Handbook of the Yiddish theater), vol. 6 (Mexico City, 1969); Elye (Elias) Shulman, Geshikhte fun der yidisher literatur in amerike 1870-1900 (A history of Yiddish literature in the United States, 1870-1900) (New York: Biderman, 1943), pp. 151-55; Yisroel-Ber Beylin, in Morgn frayhayt (new York) (June 22, 1958); Ber Grin, Fun dor tsu dor (From generation to generation) (New York, 1971), pp. 188-91; Sh. Tenenboym, in Tsukunft (new York) (November 1972); YIVO archives (New York).
Yekhezkl Lifshits


FAYVL SHMULEVITSH


FAYVL SHMULEVITSH (b. February 2, 1889)
            He was a journalist, born in Zlatshev (Zolochiv), Poland.  He attended religious elementary schools.  In 1904 he joined the Zionist socialist party.  He was in forced labor in German over the years 1916-1918.  In the 1930s he settled in Tel Aviv.  He debuted in print in 1907 with feuilletons in Tshenstokhover vokhnblat (Częstochowa weekly newspaper).  He also wrote for the Berlin Der mizrekh yid (The eastern Jew) and Der fraytog (Friday), and he edited Unzer lebn (Our life) in Breslau (1920-1922).  He co-edited Tel Aviv’s Nayvelt (New world) and Di brik (The bridge), as well as the volume Tshenstokhover yidn (Częstochowa Jews) (New York, 1947).  He wrote the pamphlet: Hagode fun der itstiker tsayt (Haggadah for our present era), with pictures, a satire (Tel Aviv: Liga haantinatsit, 1941), 24 pp.
Beyle Gottesman


Tuesday 17 September 2019

DOVID SHMULEVSKI


DOVID SHMULEVSKI (July 26, 1912)
            He was born in Koyl (Kolo), Poland.  In 1939 he emigrated to Paris.  He survived the Drancy Transit Camp and Auschwitz.  He wrote for: Letste nayes (Latest news) in Tel Aviv; Yidishe kultur (Jewish culture) and Morgn-frayhayt (Morning freedom) in New York; as well as in Polish periodicals.  In book form: Zikhroynes fun vidershtand oyshvits-birkenoy (Memoirs of the uprising at Auschwitz-Birkenau) (Paris, 1984), 350 pp.  He was last living in Paris.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 530.



YITSKHOK SHMULEVITSH


YITSKHOK SHMULEVITSH (b. March 14, 1911)
            He was a journalist, born in Kelts (Kielce), Poland.  He attended religious elementary school and public school.  At age twelve he worked as a boot-stitcher and at the same time studied on his own.  At nineteen he joined the Bund.  He lived for a short time in Lodz.  In late 1939 he fled to the Soviet Union, and from there he was sent to Uzbekistan.  He returned to Lodz in 1945 and the next year left for Paris; in 1954 he moved to New York.  He began writing reportage pieces for Naye folkstsaytung (New people newspaper) in Warsaw and articles for Kyeltser lebn (Kielce life), later for Dos naye lebn (The new life) in Lodz-Warsaw, Unzer shtime (Our voice) in Paris, and Gerekhtigkeyt (Justice) in New York.  From 1955 he was regular contributor to New York’s Forverts (Forward) for which he wrote correspondence pieces from Poland as early as 1937.  He mostly published articles there about remembrance volumes, experiences of survivors of the European Holocaust, and the lives of those recent arrivals in the United States.  Among his pen names: Y. Khaimson, Y. Shmuel, A. Shoyel, Y. Zak, A. Kyeltshinski, Sh. Esterman, Sh. Malkes, Sh. Krakovski, and A. Bender (only in Letste nayes [Latest news] in Tel Aviv).
Berl Cohen


KHAYIM SHMULEVITSH


KHAYIM SHMULEVITSH (b. July 27, 1906)
            He was born in Lodz.  He attended a Hebrew high school.  He spent the years 1932-1946 in the Soviet Union; until 1949 he was in Ulm, Germany, and then from 1949 in the United States.  He was the author of the book Tsurik fun yener velt (Back from the other world) (Tel Aviv, 1979), 290 pp.
Berl Cohen


AKIVE SHMULEVITSH


AKIVE SHMULEVITSH (b. November 11, 1903)
            He was born in Dobromil (Dobromyl’), Galicia.  He emigrated to the United States after WWI.  He debuted in print with a articles in Idishe velt (Jewish world) in Philadelphia; later, he published pieces in Yidishe tsaytung (Jewish newspaper) in Tel Aviv and Forverts (Forward) in New York.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 556.


FROYM-ZELIK SHMULEVITSH


FROYM-ZELIK SHMULEVITSH (1844-1910)
            He was a wedding entertainer, born in Lodz.  He published a number of song booklets (some under the pen names Akhinoym and Zelig Veber): Dos troyer lied fun di lodzer shreklikhe sreyfe (The sad song of the horrifying Lodz fire), “nine verses” (Warsaw, 1898/1899), 12 pp.; Dos lied vegn lodzer robunek (The song of the Lodz robbery); Mortkhe gabes gas (Mortkhe the synagogue warden’s street); Der nayer eykhe oder der lodzer umglik (The new Books of Lamentations or the Lodz misfortune).  Several of Shmulevitsh’s songs were sung for many years in Lodz.

Source: Khayim Leyb Fuks, Lodzh shel mayle, dos yidishe gaystiḳe un derhoybene lodzh, 100 yor yidishe un oykh hebreishe literatur un kultur in lodzh un in di arumiḳe shtet un shtetlekh (Lodz on high, the Jewish spiritual and elevated Lodz, 100 years of Yiddish and also Hebrew literature and culture in Lodz and in the surrounding cities and towns) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1972), see index.
Berl Cohen


MOYSHE SHMULOVITSH


MOYSHE SHMULOVITSH (1893-January 27, 1976)
            Born in Warsaw, he worked in a bakery there and was active in the trade union movement.  He made his way to Paris, where he lived for many years and spent his last years in Menton.  He was the author of Varshever yorn, oytobyografishe fartsaykhenungen (Warsaw years, autobiographical notes) (Paris: Oyfsnay, 1970), 426 pp.  He died in Menton, France.

Source: Naye prese (Paris) (January 29, 1974).
Berl Cohen


ELEMEYLEKH SHMULOVITSH


ELEMEYLEKH SHMULOVITSH (1899-1944?)
            He was born in Lodz, the author of poetry and stories and owned a textile factory.  He was confined in the Lodz ghetto, later in Warsaw with Aryan papers.  He probably died in the suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising (1944).  He composed poetry and lyrical prose for: Nayes lodzer morgenblat (New Lodz morning newspaper), Heftn (Notebooks), issue 5, Di yetstige tsayt (Contemporary times), Der idisher zhurnalist (The Jewish journalist), Gezangen (Songs), and Yung-idish (Young Yiddish), 6 issues—all in Lodz; Literarishe bleter (Literary leaves) and Varshever almanakh (Warsaw almanac)—in Warsaw.  In book form: Emitser (Someone) (Lodz: Vort, n.d.), 144 pp.; Af vegn (On the road), poetry (Warsaw: Vort, 1938), 200 pp.

Source: Khayim Leyb Fuks, Lodzh shel mayle, dos yidishe gaystiḳe un derhoybene lodzh, 100 yor yidishe un oykh hebreishe literatur un kultur in lodzh un in di arumiḳe shtet un shtetlekh (Lodz on high, the Jewish spiritual and elevated Lodz, 100 years of Yiddish and also Hebrew literature and culture in Lodz and in the surrounding cities and towns) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1972), see index.
Berl Cohen



AVROM SHMOYSH (SZMOJSZ)


AVROM SHMOYSH (SZMOJSZ) (May 25, 1892-February 19, 1966)
            He was born in Proskurov, Podolia.  He was raised in Lodz.  He attended public school and high school.  From 1915, with brief interruptions, he lived in Warsaw until September 1939.  He was active in the trade union movement and Jewish cooperatives in Poland.  In 1941 he came to New York.  He was active in the Bund from 1906 forward.  He began writing for the Bundist weekly newspaper Di tsayt (The times) in St. Petersburg (1913-1914), later for Lebens-fragen (Life issues) in Warsaw and from time to time for Folkstsaytung (People’s newspaper) and Fortshrit (Progress) in New York.  He edited Der lodzer arbayter (The Lodz worker) (1914, published illegally in Pyetrkov, one issue), and he co-edited Di profesyonele bavegung (The trade union movement) in Warsaw, Di kooperative bavegung (The cooperative movement), and Farn folk (For the people).  In book form: Hantbukh far kredit-kooperativn (Handbook for credit cooperatives) (Warsaw: Farband, 1925), 160 pp., second edition (1927), 194 pp.; Vos darfen di mitglider visen vegen di algemeyne farzamlungen (What do the member need to know about the general meetings) (Warsaw: Farband, 1927), 16 pp.  His pen names include: A. Sh., A. Shm-sh, and A. Ludzki.  He died in New York.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Y. Sh. Herts, Doyres bundistn (Generations of Bundists), vol. 3 (New York, 1968).
Berl Cohen


MOYSHE SHMUELZON


MOYSHE SHMUELZON (December 12, 1871-May 5, 1947)
            According to his birth certificate, his surname was Shulikhson, born in Makhasterik, Podolia.  He was a writer of sketches.  He attended religious elementary school and studied secular subject matter with private tutors.  In 1893 he made his way to the United States; from 1907-1932, he lived in Montreal and thereafter on a farm near Albany, New York.  He was close to Jewish anarchist circles.  He debuted in print with a monologue in Abend blatt (Evening newspaper) in 1903 and later published in numerous Yiddish publications in America and Canada.  He wrote stories, sketches, and literary critical articles in: St. Petersburg’s Fraynd (Friend) in 1905, Warsaw’s Roman-tsaytung (Fiction newspaper) in 1908, London’s Arbayter fraynd (Workers’ friend), Di yugend (The youth), New York’s Idisher kemfer (Jewish fighter) and Tsukunft (Future) in 1907, Fraye gezelshaft (Free society), and Folks-tsaytung (People’s newspaper) in Montreal, but mostly in New York’s Fraye arbeter shtime (Free voice of labor) and Montreal’s Keneder odler (Canadian eagle) (1907-1930, internal contributor).  He was a prominent writer in his day.  Over the last fifteen years of his life, he published only very rarely and died virtually forgotten in Albany, New York.  His books include: Velten un tsayten, ertsehlungen un skitsen, 1903-1917 (Worlds and times, stories and sketches, 1904-1917) (New York, 1918), 347 pp.
            “Back in the day,” wrote Zalmen Reyzen, “of his scattered writings, Yiddish-language American critics responded very warmly to Shmuelzon’s stories, and his book also aroused recognition.”

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Yisroel Rabinovitsh, ed., Yoyvl bukh, suvenir oysgabe lekoved dem yubiley fun hundert yor idisher glaykhbarekhtigung in kanade un finf un tsvantsig yor keneder odler (Jubilee volume, souvenir publication in honor of the centenary of equal rights for Yiddish in Canada and the twenty-fifth year of Keneder odler) (Montreal, 1932); Khananye-Meyer Kayzerman, Idishe dikhter in kanade (Yiddish poets in Canada) (Montreal, 1934), pp. 65-66; Yoyel Entin, in Morgn-zhurnal (New York) (June 4, 1944); Y. Y. Sigal, in Keneder odler (Montreal) (May 11, 1947); Yoyel-Leyb Malamut, in Fraye arbeter shtime (New York) (June 13, 1947),

Khayim Leyb Fuks


NEKHEMYE SHMAIN (SHMAYIN)

NEKHEMYE SHMAIN (SHMAYIN) (1906-1943)

            He was a playwright and actor, born in the town of Kamenaya (Kamiana), near Bila Tserkva, Ukraine. He performed in the Kiev Yiddish children’s theater, and he later also directed a series of performances with this same theater. He composed dramatic works, as well as theatrical productions of the Yiddish classics. As the start of WWII, he headed for the front and was killed in a battle near Lozansk (Lozanskoye), Kharkov district, in 1943. His published plays include: Eynakters far der bine (One-act plays for the stage) (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1935), 40 pp.; Der dnyeper dertseylt, tripolyer tragedye (The Dnieper [River] recounts, a triple tragedy), “a play in three acts and nine scenes” (Kiev-Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1937), 24 pp.; A gast (A guest), “a play in one act” (Kiev-Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1937), 24 pp.; Der zeyde un di eyniklekh (The grandfather and the grandchildren) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1937), 24 pp.; Bam ofenem forhang (By the open curtain), three one-act plays (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1939), 68 pp.; Kantonistn, tragedye in dray aktn (Recruits, a tragedy in three acts), with Fayvl Sito (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1940), 95 pp. He also dramatized Mendele’s Der priziv (The conscript) (Kharkov: Gezunt, 1927), 62 pp.

Sources: Zalmen Zilbertsvayg, Leksikon fun yidishn teater (Handbook of the Yiddish theater), vol. 5 (Mexico City, 1966); Chone Shmeruk, comp., Pirsumim yehudiim babrit-hamoatsot, 1917-1961 (Jewish publications in the Soviet Union, 1917-1961) (Jerusalem, 1962), see index.

Berl Cohen 

[Additional information from: Chaim Beider, Leksikon fun yidishe shrayber in ratn-farband (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers in the Soviet Union), ed. Boris Sandler and Gennady Estraikh (New York: Congress for Jewish Culture, Inc., 2011), p. 387.]

KHAYIM-YUDE SHLEZINGER


KHAYIM-YUDE SHLEZINGER
            He was a rabbi in Pade (Padeș), Hungary [now, Romania].  He was the author of a religious text in stylized Yiddish, Likutey yude (Selection of Judah), on the thirteen principles “to plant seeds of faith among the people” (Veytsen [Vác], 1913).

Source: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4
Berl Cohen


AVROM SHLEZINGER


AVROM SHLEZINGER (1874-1938)
            He was born in Keydan (Kėdainiai), Lithuania.  He studied in religious elementary school and yeshivas.  In 1895 he settled in Lodz.  He wrote “short features” (under the pen name “Sar shel eysh” [Angel of fire]) for Lodzer tageblat (Lodz daily newspaper).  He later wrote for Lodzer folksblat (Lodz people’s newspaper).  From 1925 he published periodically in Nayes folksblat (New people’s newspaper).  Aside from features, he translated treatises by the sages under the title “Krants perl fun talmud un medresh” (Garland of pearls from Talmud and Midrash), which were also republished in other newspapers.  He died in Lodz.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Khayim Leyb Fuks, Lodzh shel mayle, dos yidishe gaystiḳe un derhoybene lodzh, 100 yor yidishe un oykh hebreishe literatur un kultur in lodzh un in di arumiḳe shtet un shtetlekh (Lodz on high, the Jewish spiritual and elevated Lodz, 100 years of Yiddish and also Hebrew literature and culture in Lodz and in the surrounding cities and towns) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1972), see index.
Berl Cohen


BENYOMEN SHLEVIN


BENYOMEN SHLEVIN (February 1910, 1913-April 14, 1981)
            The author of novels and stories, he was born in Brisk (Brest).  His original surname was Sheynman.  His father was a saddle-maker.  He studied in religious elementary school, with private tutors, and later in a Jewish public school.  In 1931 he left for Warsaw and in 1934 for Paris, and there he found employment as a typesetter.  He spent five years during WWII in a German captivity as a French soldier.  Early on he was drawn to the leftist movement.  After the murder of the Yiddish writers in the Soviet Union, he underwent a spiritual reorientation.
            In 1930 he began publishing in the Brisk weekly newspapers, Polyeser shtime (Voice of Polesia) and Brisker vokhnblat (Brisk weekly newspaper).  He wrote stories, novels, poems, reviews, and articles for: Folkstsaytung (People’s newspaper) edited by Meylekh Ravitsh, Literarishe tribune (Literary tribune), Fraynd (Friend), Vokhnshrift far literatur un kunst (Weekly writing for literature and art), Parizer tsaytshrift (Parisian periodical), Naye prese (New press), Unzer kiem (Our existence), Shtern (Star) in Minsk and Kharkov, Farmest (Challenge), Hamer (Hammer), Yidishe kultur (Jewish culture), Morgn frayhayt (Morning freedom), Di prese (The press) in Buenos Aires, and Di goldene keyt (The golden chain) and Di yidishe tsaytung (The Jewish newspaper) in Tel Aviv, among others.  He edited Parizer heftn (Parisian notebooks) and Undzer eynikeyt (Our unity); and his work appeared in the collection Lebn un kamf (Life and struggle) (Minsk, 1936).
            In book form, stories: Tsvishn vent, noveln (Between walls, stories) (Warsaw: Nay-bukh, 1933), 102 pp.; Groye profiln, noveln (Gray profiles, stories) (Paris, 1937), 126 pp.; Rus un noyme, dertseylung fun yidishn lebn in nidershlezye (Ruth and Naomi, stories of Jewish life in Lower Silesia) (Wrocław: Nidershlezye, 1939), 23 pp.; Geklibene dertseylungen, 1933-1963 (Selected stories, 1933-1963) (Paris: Bukh-komitet, 1964), 279 pp.; Unter di shtern fun negev un andere dertseylungen (Under the stars of the Negev and other stories) (Paris, 1974), 141 pp.; novels: Der marsh af brisk, roman (The march on Brisk, novel) (Paris: 1938), 285 pp.; Di yidn fun belvil, roman (The Jews of Belleville, a novel) (Paris: Oyfsnay, 1948), 358 pp., French translation by Marcel Arnaud as Les Juifs de Belleville, roman (Paris, 1956), 254 pp.; Geven es iz nekhtn, roman (It was yesterday, a novel) (Paris: Oyfsnay, 1951), 370 pp.; Dos hoyz in der topoln-gas, roman (The house on rue des Peupliers, a novel), a trilogy—(1) Di brider khaykin (The brothers Khaykin) (Paris: Oyfsnay, 1955), 269 pp.; (2) Afn parizer bruk (On Parisian cobblestone) (Warsaw: Yidish bukh, 1955), 194 pp.; (3) Dos tsugezogte land (The promised land) (Paris: Oyfsnay, 1956), 200 pp.—Di goldene iluzye, roman (The golden illusion, a novel) (Paris, 1958), 224 pp.; Khaveyrim fun muranover rayon, roman (Friends from Muranov district, a novel) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1961), 407 pp.; Lipe kamashnmakher, roman (Lipe, the boot-maker, a novel) (Paris: Bukh komitet, 1969), 335 p.; Shotns fun monparnas, roman (Shadows of Montparnasse, a novel) (Tel Aviv: Hamenorah, 1971), 285 pp.; Vuhim geystu, danyel? (Where are you going, Daniel?) (Paris: Bukh komitet, 1977), 288 pp.; Shvere gemiter, dertseylungen, dermonungen, batreakhtungen (Heavy hearts, stories, remembrances, considerations) (Paris, 1981), 189 pp.  His translations include: Honoré de Balzac, Di kuzine beti (Cousin Bette [original: La Cousine Bette]); L. Aragon, Dos roymishe rekht ekzistirt nisht mer, dertseylung (Roman law no longer exists, a story) (Paris, 1949), 60 pp.
He died in Paris.
            “B. Shlevin is a writer of a difficult caliber,” noted Froym Kaganovski. “A novelist, he has a dimension of tomorrow—and tomorrow people will be reading him all the more.”
            Shlevin’s novel Der marsh af brisk, wrote Avrom-Moyshe Fuks, “is a sweeping work, thorough and straightforward, in the best traditions of our classical authors.”
            Di yidn fun belvil is an important contribution,” commented Meylekh Ravitsh, “to our modern Yiddish literature.”
            “His sensitive pen for social and ethnic issues,” wrote Shaye Shpigl, “created with its historical scope a specific genre in literature….  In my view, he belongs among the creators of our literature.”

Sources: Ber Mark, in Literarishe tribune (Warsaw) (1933); Zalmen Shneur, in Naye prese (Paris) (September 1938); Avrom-Moyshe Fuks, in Kiem (Paris) (1949); Dovid Sfard, Shtudyes un skitsn (Studies and sketches) (Warsaw: Yidish bukh, 1955), pp. 121-29; Froym Kaganovski, in Naye prese (1956); A. Mukdoni, in Tsukunft (New York) 3 (1958); Shmuel Izban, in Tsukunft 11 (1965); Leyzer Domankevitsh, Verter un vertn (Words and worth) (Tel Aviv: Peretz Publ., 1965), pp. 246-50; Elye (Elias) Shulman, in Forverts (New York) (August 8, 1971); Rivke Kope, Intim mitn bukh, mekhabrim, bikher, meynungen (Intimate with a book, authors, books, opinions), essays (Paris, 1973); Yitskhok Goldkorn, Heymishe un fremde literarishe etyudn (Familiar and foreign literary studies) (Buenos Aires: Svive, 1973); Shaye Shpigl, in Yisroel shtime (Tel Aviv) (November 19, 1975).
Sh. Apter

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 530.]


Monday 16 September 2019

ADOLF SHLIFERSHTEYN


ADOLF SHLIFERSHTEYN
            He was an actor and director, born in Warsaw.  He traveled around with Yiddish theatrical troupes through Poland and Galicia.  He lived in Lodz, Lemberg, London, and Warsaw.  He authored the theatrical piece Dora oder der milyoner als betler (Dora or the millionaire as beggar) (Warsaw, 1893), 50 pp.  The Russian subtitle reads [in English]: “Translated from German”; Etsba elohim (Finger of God); N. Dranov’s Der meshugener in shpitol (The crazy man in the hospital) was actually a play by Shlifershteyn.  He died in Lemberg.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Zalmen Zilbertsvayg, Leksikon fun yidishn teater (Handbook of the Yiddish theater), vol. 6 (Mexico City, 1969).
Berl Cohen


SHLOYME BEN DOVID


SHLOYME BEN DOVID (b. ca. 1882)
            This was the pen name of Shloyme Lobatshevski, born in Voloderke (Volodarka), Kiev Province.  Until age ten he attended religious elementary school, and he later went to work in tailoring.  At age fifteen he left with his parents for London.  There he learned English, French, and Italian.  In 1906 he debuted in print in the anarchist Arbayter fraynd (Workers’ friend) in London with a translation from one of Olive Scheiner’s Dreams (translated as Troymen).  He went on to publish here as well as in Fraye arbiter shtime (Free voice of labor) in New York: articles, stories, and translations.  He also used the pseudonym Sol David.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), cols. 529-30.


MOYSHE SHLEYFSHTEYN


MOYSHE SHLEYFSHTEYN (ca. 1850-ca. 1917)
            He lived in Warsaw, where he was a wedding entertainer and the composer of popular songs and pamphlets concerning an assortment of events: Dos lied (The song) (1882?); Vikhne dvoshe di tsitkonyes fun varsho (Vikhne Dvoshe, the charitable and pious woman of Warsaw), “written in verse by the well-known wedding entertainer in Warsaw” (Warsaw: Y. L. Morgenshtern, 1882/1883), 26 pp.; Der bankrot oder di gishlogene tsayt (The bankruptcy or the time gone by) (Warsaw: Feyvl Munl, 1884), 46 pp.; Der shreklikher feygeles toyt oder di merders far di sprave (The fearful bird’s death or the murderers before the court) (Warsaw, 1897), republished under the title Der gihargeter kantorshtsik oder der ungrekhnter toyt fon feygeles (The murdered office worker or the endless death of birds); Di naye zabaves (The new games) (Warsaw, 1897); Der vayberishe yonkiper oder der gishtehrter kol nidre (Women’s Yom Kippur or troubled Kol Nidre) (Warsaw, 1896, 1899), 19 pp.; Di sheyn groyse halle in varsho oder der opgetribener mark fun ayzernem toyer (The beautiful, large hall in Warsaw or the evacuated marketplace of the iron gate) (Warsaw, 1902); Dos lied fun fonograf un dos lied fun zaksishen gorten (The song of the phonograph and the song of the Saxon garden) (Warsaw: M. Y. Halter, 1903), 12 pp.; Der shreklikher mord fun kenig un kenigin fun serbye (The horrifying murder of the king and queen of Serbia) (Warsaw, 1904), 23 pp.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; A. Taytlboym, Varshever hoyf (Warsaw court) (Buenos Aires, 1948), pp. 26-27, 156-57; Yankev Shatski, Geshikhte fun yidn in varshe (History of the Jews in Warsaw) (New York: YIVO, 1953), vol. 3, pp. 270, 336-37.
Yekhezkl Lifshits


BEN-TSIEN SHLEYFER


BEN-TSIEN SHLEYFER (b. April 21, 1895)
            He was a journalist, born in Homel, Mogilev district.  From 1912 he was living in Buenos Aires.  In 1916 he began writing for Idishe tsaytung (Jewish newspaper).  From 1918 he was a regular contributor to Di prese (The press).  Over the years 1918-1921, he co-edited Di naye tsayt (The new times) of the Labor Zionists and later contributed to Der royter shtern (The red star).
Yekhezkl Lifshits


TUVYE SHALIT


TUVYE SHALIT
            He was the author of Di spetsyele relativitets-teorye, aynshteyns shite un minkovskis “velt” (The theory of special relativity, Einstein’s doctrine and Minkowski’s “world”) (Berlin: Eygener farlag, 1927), 240 pp.
Berl Cohen


KHANE SHALIT


KHANE SHALIT (b. January 10, 1914)
         She was born in Laskazhev (Łaskarzew), Poland.  She came from a devout family.  She studied with private tutors.  In 1930 she emigrated to Paris.  She was active in leftist circles.  During the Nazi occupation, she was in the resistance movement.  In 1967 she debuted in print with poetry in Naye prese (New press) in Paris and Yisroel shtime (Voice of Israel), among others.  In book form: In shtendikn tsapl, lider (Constant wincing, poetry) (Tel Aviv: Yisroel-bukh, 1980), 160 pp.

Sources: Yoysef Fridlender, in Letste nayes (Tel Aviv) (January 16, 1981); B. Grin, in Morgn-frayhayt (New York) (April 12, 1981); Rivke Kope, in Unzer vort (Paris) (May 23, 1981); Kope, Intim mitn bukh, mekhabrim, bikher, meynungen (Intimate with a book, authors, books, opinions), vol. 2 (Paris, 1983), pp. 233-42; Avrom Lis, in Bay zikh (Tel Aviv) (May 1981); Yitskhok-Elkhonen Rontsh, in Morgn-frayhayt (July 26, 1981); Mikhl Mirski, in Yidishe kultur (New York) (July-August 1981); Khayim Zeltser, in Letste nayes (November 13, 1981).

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 529.