SFARD, DAVID

SFARD, DAVID (1905–1981), Yiddish writer and editor. Born in Trisk, Volhynia, he initially received a traditional Jewish education, then attended Hebrew-Polish schools (1919–26) and studied philosophy and participated in the literary circle of I.M. Weissenberg\>\> in Warsaw (1926–28). His first poetic collection, Shtaplen ("Steps," 1929. appeared while he was studying in France (1928–31), where he wrote a doctoral dissertation on Hegel. In 1932 he returned to Warsaw and became actively involved in leftist Yiddish literary life, in 1933 becoming a member of the illegal Polish Communist Party. In 1939 he fled to Soviet-occupied territory. Repatriated to Poland in 1946, he occupied a prominent position in Jewish cultural life, especially as editor of the publishing venture Yidish-Bukh, which published more than 200 books. His own writings include the verse collections Lider ("Poems," 1957), and Borvese Trit ("Barefoot Steps," 1966), literary criticism, short stories, and translations. In 1969 he immigrated to Israel. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: LNYL, 6 (1965), 527–30. ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: D. Sfard, Mit Zikh un mit Andere (1984). (Sol Liptzin / Gennady Estraikh (2nd ed.)