AUERBACH, EPHRAIM

AUERBACH, EPHRAIM (1892–1973), Yiddish poet and essayist. Born in Belz, Bessarabia, Auerbach began publishing in Russian and Hebrew, but turned to Yiddish after 1909. In 1912 he worked in various colonies in Palestine. Expelled by the Turkish authorities at the outbreak of World War i, he joined the Jewish Legion and took part in the Gallipoli campaign. In 1915, he immigrated to the United States and worked as a teacher in Yiddish schools. For 50 years he was associated with New York Yiddish dailies and among other public functions was president of the League for the Rights of Yiddish in Palestine. He published numerous volumes: Oyfn Shvel ("On the Threshold," 1915); Karavanen ("Caravans," 1918) describes his experiences in Palestine and Gallipoli; Di Vayse Shtot ("The White City," 1952) and Vakh iz der Step ("The Steppe is Awake," 1963) treat, respectively, the experiences of Jews on Israel's first Independence Day, and memories of Bessarabia; Loyter iz der Alter Kval ("The Ancient Spring Is Pure," 1940); Yankevs Getseltn ("Jacob's Tents," 1945); and Gildene Shkie ("Golden Sunset," 1959). A Hebrew translation of Auerbach's poems by Eliahu Meitus appeared in 1966. His memoirs of the Second Aliyah appeared in Hebrew (1954), the prose translated by Y. Twersky, and the lyrics by Avigdor Hameiri.

bibliography:

lnyl, 1 (1956), 31–33; J. Glatstein, In Tokh Genumen (1956), 480–5; S. Bickel, Shrayber fun Mayn Dor, 1 (1958), 98–107; 2 (1965), 49–54; A. Glanz-Leyeles, Velt un Vort (1958), 199–209; M. Gross-Zimmerman, Intimer Videranand (1964), 227–36. add. bibliography: D. Sadan, in: Avnei Miftan, 2 (1970), 98–119.

[Shlomo Bickel]