Frischmann David (1859-1922)

poet, short story writer, essayist, literary critic, and journalist.

 
One of the first major writers in modern Hebrew literature. Born near Lodz, Poland, Frischmann showed signs of major literary talent at a young age. He began as a satirist, and moved on to write short stories dealing with the theme of Jews coming into conflict with the mores of traditional Jewish society. Frischmann empathized with the Jew who was caught between the values of his traditional society and those of the outside world.

Bar Midbar (1923) was a series of fictional biblical tales in which the Children of Israel, wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt, are torn between their primitive lusts and habits and the new moral code that Moses is preaching to them. Frischmann was concerned here with the conflict between religious faith and law, and man's natural instincts.

Frischmann also achieved fame as a literary critic, journalist, and editor and publisher. He spoke several languages, and did much translating, as well as writing in both Hebrew and Yiddish. He visited Erez Israel twice, in 1911 and 1912, and was greatly moved by his experiences there.

Entry taken from "Junior Judaica, Encyclopedia Judaica for Youth" CD-ROM

by C.D.I. Systems 1992 (LTD) and Keter.

 

 

 

 

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02 May 2005 / 23 Nisan 5765 0