ARICHA, YOSEF

ARICHA, YOSEF (born Dolgin, pseudonym Paziza; 1907–1972), Hebrew writer. Aricha, who was born in Olevsk, Ukraine, lived in Ereẓ Israel from 1925, except for a stay in the United States (1929–32). Until his retirement in 1961, he was editor for the office of information of the Tel Aviv municipality. He wrote short stories, realistically depicting life in Israel and in the Diaspora, and tales for young people. In his novel Ud Muẓẓal ("The Survivor," 1937), Aricha describes the Ukrainian pogroms of 1919. Especially realistic is his collection of short stories, Ba'alei Yeẓarim ("Men of Passion," 1946), which contains scenes from the lives of Jewish butchers. In addition, Aricha wrote the novel Leḥem ve-Ḥazon ("Bread and Vision," 1933); Kanfei Kesef ("Silver Wings," stories for children, 1936); two historical novels, Sanḥeriv bi-Yhudah ("Sennacherib in Judah," 1958) and Sofer ha-Melekh ("The King's Scribe," 1966); and a historical play, Mul Ḥerev ("Facing the Sword," 1962). A collection of short stories, Mivḥar Sippurim (2–3 vols.), appeared in 1967. A list of his works and a bibliography are appended to his Yom va-Laylah ("Day and Night," 1963). Aricha and Y. Ogen edited Dafdefet le-Sifrut Ivrit (1952) and the literary magazine Anakh. An edition of his collected works appeared in 1963. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kressel, Leksikon, 1 (1965), 148–9; S. Kramer, Ḥillufei Mishmarot be-Sifrutenu (1959), 223–30. (Haim Toren)