Jacob Dinezon - Knowledge

31: 556: 276: 595:“He was always with those who suffered, for whom things were going badly, who needed something, who needed help. He gave away everything to them, he was not concerned about himself, he allowed nothing for himself. . . . Whenever you saw a smile on his face it was not about something done for him, but because he had given something to someone else. . . . Perhaps the most precious gift that God gave him, his talent, he also gave away. This is how much he was devoted to others and not himself.” 782: 723:

method. Both wrinkle the face of the folk and force it to play along. The first—to weeping. The second—to laughter. Don’t discount the sentimentality of the art. Real sentimentality is just as warranted as real humor. Both methods are primitive ways to create an effect. If they emerge from an artist’s natural characteristic, then their effect is—art. And as this is the shortest way to an effect, it is folk-artistry.

176:). There are various spellings of Dinezon's name in both Yiddish and English transliteration. Early in his career, Yiddish publications spelled his name דינעזאהן (Dinezohn). Later publications removed the ה and spelled his name דינעזאן or דינעזאָן (Dinezon). In English, his name has been spelled Dienesohn, Dinesen, Dineson, Dinezon, Dinesohn, Dineszohn, Dinezohn, Dynesohn, and Dynezon. 484:“If I tried to tell you a hundredth part of the way I feel about you, I know that that would be sheer profanation. If I am fated to live a few years longer than I have been expecting, I shall doubtless be able to say that it’s your fault, yours and that of all the other friends who have done so much to carry out your idea of ‘the redemption of the imprisoned.’” 609:. A year later, S. Ansky was also buried in the same plot following his death on November 8, 1920. In 1925, in honor of I. L. Peretz's 10th yahrzeit (the 10th anniversary of his death), a large granite mausoleum designed by Abraham Ostrzego was erected over their graves. Poles call the monument “Mauzoleum Trzech Pisarzy” (Mausoleum of the Three Writers). In 722:

We had two true folk writers: Dinezon and Sholem Aleichem. No one imagines putting these two writers on the same plateau. Yet it is this way: in the main achievement of their artistry, they are comparable. Dinezon, the weeper, and Sholem Aleichem the clown. Both move us with the same theatrical

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In 1868, Dinezon was employed as a Hebrew tutor in a prominent family in Mohilev named Horowitz (or Hurevitsh, according to some sources), which gave him the opportunity to further his secular education. It was in this period that he started publishing articles in Hebrew, contributing to Hebrew

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Dinezon died on Friday, August 29, 1919 in his home at Karmelica 29 where he was surrounded by family and several members of the Warsaw literary community. The final hours of his life, his funeral procession to the cemetery, and the gravesite service were reported in detail in Warsaw's Yiddish

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movement had started promoting a revival of Hebrew, working on the development of a modern Hebrew language for the production and circulation of Jewish culture. Dinezon supported the development of the new Hebrew language, but despite his Enlightenment-oriented education, he also developed an

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was the everyday language of most Jewish communities in central and Eastern Europe. However, there was barely any literature available in Yiddish, as it was considered a lowly, poorly developed language unfit for literary works. Even within the Jewish community, it was often referred to as

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Most of his career was dedicated to promoting the literary status of the Yiddish language, supporting and collaborating in the creation of early Yiddish prose, poetry, journals, and anthologies. He was part of an active group of Yiddish authors, including his colleagues and friends

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The educator and author C. S. Kasden wrote, “He often played with the children, entering their circle, taking them by the hand, and dancing with them. He remembered the child that was sad the day before, and if today the child was lively again, it was for him truly a celebration.”

326:, his novel produced an outpouring of poor-quality, imitative works that embarrassed him. Dinezon wrote, “I couldn’t stop writing, but it didn’t cost me effort or mental strain not to publish the finished works.”. Dinezon would not publish another literary work for several years. 195:

He is credited as the author of the first bestselling novel in Yiddish and the first realistic Jewish romance. During his lifetime, he wrote several novels and short stories about Jewish life in the Russian Empire with scenes from urban environments as well as from

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had a detrimental effect on Dinezon's literary reputation. His vast archive was lost, and the demise of Yiddish in the aftermath further diminished his legacy. In 1956, the Yiddish literary historian Shmuel Rozshanski tried to rectify this situation by publishing

374:), which called itself, “The first zhargon (jargon) newspaper in Russia”. On May 15 of that year, the Yiddish critic Bal-Makhshoves wrote a tribute to Dinezon in celebration of his 25th writer's Jubilee. A month later, Dinezon's photograph was also published in 238:

He grew up in a relatively well-to-do household with his parents, Pessie and Benjamin, two older sisters, one younger sister, and a brother (who died in his early childhood). His father died in 1866, when Dinezon was about 12. He was then raised by his uncle in

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life. Dinezon was a keen observer of the social changes spreading throughout Jewish communities in his time. His stories often depicted the emotional conflicts arising from the encounter between traditional religious and social norms and the modern ideas of

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Upon Dinezon's death, several unpublished manuscripts were discovered in his apartment. In honor of the 10th anniversary of Dinezon's death, a collection of his stories and novels was published in book form by Ahisefer Publishing in Warsaw. These included

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to Sholem Aleichem’s works from various publishers for his sole use. At a time when Sholem Aleichem was ill and struggling financially, this proved to be a valuable gift, and Sholem Aleichem expressed his gratitude in a thank you letter in which he wrote,

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newspapers as well as scientific education brochures. He eventually also became a trusted advisor, business agent, and estate manager for the Horowitz family. Around 1875, thanks to the Horowitz family, he was introduced to the owners of the renowned

809:. This was Dinezon's first great success and it is considered the first bestselling novel in Yiddish and the first Jewish realistic romance as it sold over ten thousand copies shortly after its publication, and was reprinted multiple times. 267:, on the contrary, enjoyed a very high status, even though it was a language that was virtually never spoken except for religious events or occasional expressions. Starting from the late 18th century, however, the 227:. The exact year of his birth is uncertain - various bibliographical entries suggest 1856, 1852, or 1851. A newspaper article published on the occasion of his death in August 1919 (in the Yiddish newspaper Haynt - 934:, the first Yiddish daily newspaper published in Czarist Russia) about a young, orphaned teacher who, due to societal pressure, must marry in order to continue teaching the students in his deceased father's 494:

By the end of the first decade of the 20th century, Dinezon ceased publishing altogether, although it is not clear why. The literary critic A. Mukdoni suggests that Dinezon’s close relationship with

251:, which encouraged Jews to become educated in secular disciplines and languages. He had the chance to study Russian, German, and disciplines such as mathematics, history, and science. 753:

was translated into English by Tina Lunson and published by Jewish Storyteller Press. Since that time, additional Dinezon books have been translated and published, including

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Over the next few years, Dinezon's publishing output diminished, yet he remained actively engaged in Warsaw's literary community. In 1909, in celebration of

797:. This novel was never published because it was blocked by censorship, perhaps due to pressure from the prominent family upon whom Dinezon based his novel. 703: 1282: 464:

and while “the dark, uncertain condition of the Jews in Russia” prevailed. He concluded by writing, “My place is here with my people, come what may.”

544:. Despite his grief, Dinezon worked tirelessly to care for Jewish children and became a vigorous advocate for the Yiddishist schools movement in 1425:, I. D. Berkowitz, translator, M. W. (Melech) Grafstein, editor and publisher, (London, Ontario, Canada: The Jewish Observer, 1948), pp. 343-344 1411: 583:

wrote that tens of thousands of Jews from every ideology and faction lined the streets to mourn the loss of their beloved folk writer. In his

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world whom he had hoped to impress, because he had written the novel in Yiddish instead of Hebrew. Further, as he told the literary critic

231:) reports that Dinezon was 68 years old when he died, which suggests the year of his birth was 1851, and data from a census conducted in 452:), to travel to America to conduct a speaking tour. In a letter that was translated into English and published in the Washington, D.C. 1379: 1057:, a story about an orphaned boy who is unable to marry the young woman he loves because her mother raised him after his mother died. 498:

may have led to the demise of Dinezon’s writing career because Dinezon’s aspirations became subservient or merged with Peretz’s.

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The final five years of Dinezon’s life were filled with sadness and loss. In 1915, his closest friend and confidant,

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Guide to the Sutzkever Kaczerginski Collection, Part II: Collection of Literary and Historical Manuscripts RG 223.2

311:), which was printed in 1877. The first edition sold out quickly, and even Dinezon had difficulty obtaining a copy. 746:). However, by the beginning of the 21st century none of Dinezon's seminal works had been translated into English. 471:’s 25th Jubilee as a writer, Dinezon spearheaded a committee with Dr. Gershon Levine, Abraham Podlishevsky, and 697:, Dinezon's works fell out of favor with modern Jewish literati. However, the author, critic, and photographer 506: 1111: 1087: 1622: 1395: 381:

The year 1904 was a prolific one for Dinezon whose stories, articles, and novellas appeared in the pages of

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Dinezon on a 1918 postcard - "Don't talk about what you don't know, don't write about what you don't feel"

517:, Dinezon and I. L. Peretz helped found an orphanage and establish schools for displaced Jewish children. 701:

defended Dinezon's contributions to Yiddish literature in an essay, “The Problem, Dinezon,” published in

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of January 1905, Dinezon turned down an offer from Johan Paley, editor of the New York Yiddish newspaper

1468: 1441:), Samuel Niger and Jacob Shatzky, editors, (NY: Congress for Jewish Culture, 1956-1981.), pp. 514-516, 1587: 296:, one of Europe's most prominent Yiddish and Hebrew publishing houses in the 19th and 20th centuries. 859:. This Yiddish literary journal was one of the first products of Dinezon's collaboration with Peretz. 1300: 303:, who had befriended Dinezon on one of his visits to Vilna, Romm agreed to publish Dinezon's novel, 247:

until age 16. In addition to a traditional Jewish education, he was exposed to the new ideas of the

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boy that helped transform Jewish education at the turn of the twentieth century.

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letters inscribed near the top are the words, “Ohel Peretz” (Peretz's Tomb).

533: 559:“Mauzoleum Trzech Pisarzy” (Mausoleum of the Three Writers), where Dinezon, 978:) about the changing economic conditions for businesses at the time of the 897: 889: 846: 560: 521: 495: 414: 390: 358:). In 1903, he contributed several stories, holiday tales, and his novella 330: 323: 280: 181: 1153: 865: 845:, a novel published soon after the beginning of Dinezon's friendship with 505:

in 1914 forced Dinezon into a new role: community benefactor. As refugees

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Honoring his last request, Dinezon was buried beside I. L. Peretz in the

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boy who falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant's widow.

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alongside many of the major Yiddish authors of the period, including

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Shimshn Shlomo mit zayn ferd: oder, A holem fun a gevezenem shmayser

1585:), No. 22, trans. Miri Koral, No. 22, March 10, 1924, Warsaw, p.2, 588: 564: 461: 398: 319: 268: 248: 204: 124: 1400: 888:, an irregularly published Yiddish anthology edited together with 1243: 875: 514: 363: 350: 329:

Dinezon's return to publishing began after he met and befriended

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Jacob Dinezon, Memories and Scenes: Shtetl, Childhood, Writers

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Dray literarishe doyres: zikhroynes vegn Yidishe shriftshteler

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Ha-Ne’ehavim veha-ne‘imim, oder Der shvartser yunger-mantshik

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Between 1899 and 1902, Dinezon published several stories and

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Samson Solomon and His Horses, or: A Dream of an Ex-Coachman

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Three Literary Generations: recollections of Yiddish authors

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Di velt-geshihte: fun di eltste tkufes biz der letster tsayt

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ha-Ne’ehavim veha-neimim, oder, Der shvartser yungermanṭshik

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ha-Ne’ehavim veha-neimim, oder, Der shvartser yungermanṭshik

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Jacob Dinezon: The Mother Among Our Classic Yiddish Writers

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interest in Yiddish as a medium of culture and literature.

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