Silman, Kadish Yehuda Leib
SILMAN, KADISH YEHUDA LEIB
SILMAN, KADISH YEHUDA LEIB (1880–1937), Hebrew writer and satirist. Born near Vilna, Silman taught in Vilna's first Hebrew school in which Hebrew was the language of instruction, and later directed a "modern ḥeder" in Gomel. In 1907 he immigrated to Palestine and devoted his life to teaching, mostly in Jerusalem. He was one of the founders of Tel Aviv and of the neighborhood of Bet ha-Kerem in Jerusalem.
His literary poems, stories, and articles from Palestine (his series of newsletters to Haolam under the general title of "Mikhtavim el Aḥ") became famous. His contribution to the fields of popular ballads, poetry, satire, and humor was also of importance. His books for children include Shirim la-Am (1910); Zimrei Am (folk songs, 1927); Lekhu Nerannenah (70 folk songs with musical notes, 1928); Mordekhai ve-Haman (a play for children, 1934); and Shimon Sevivon (a story, 1937). In the field of humor, parody and satire, he published Massekhet Bava Tekhnikah (c. 1910) and Shas Ereẓ Yisre'eli Katan (a parody dealing with the language conflict, c. 1913). He also published satiric newspapers for several decades: La-Yehudim (irregularly between 1909 and 1927) and Aspaklaryah (1920).
[Getzel Kressel]