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Volume VI, issues 3-47 and pp 1-2 of 48 of The Hebrew. The weekly is described by the author as "represents the best class of Hebrews everywhere. It is bright and well edited, instructive and entertaining. It contains the most important news relating to the Hebrews, condensed from our own correspondents, besides literary matter, poetry, miscellaneous and short editorial comments on the political situation here and abroad" (vol. 1, no. 1, p. 2). The Hebrew was founded by Sarasohn and was initially published by him. Beginning with vol. 6, Rosenzweig became the publisher and editor (see masthead); Sarasohn apparently retained a connection with the paper until vol. 7, no. 18 (Gilboa; Kabakoff [1966], 249). Kabakoff [1966], 245-9 indicates that Rosenzweig was "in practice the editor" from the very start, though he does not adduce any evidence to support this statement (also, all correspondence in the early volumes is addressed to Sarasohn, and Rosenzweig never signed his articles as editor; Kabakoff [1966], 247 records that he signed an editorial in vol. 2, but this was a unique case.) Some sources record that A. H. Rosenberg preceded Rosenzweig as the editor. An annual subscription cost two dollars from 1892 to 1897. Vol. 6 may have been printed on its own press (see advs. soliciting printing jobs for "the press of The Hebrew in vol. 6, no. 2, p. [4] [246 Division St.] and vol. 6, nos. 33-49, p. [4] [255 Henry St.]).
Kasriel Zevi b. Elijah Sarasohn (1835-1905) was born in Paiser, Suwalki Province, and following in the footsteps of his brother-in-law, Mordecai Johalomstein, he immigrated to America in 1866. He returned to Europe shortly thereafter, but then came back to America in 1871 and settled in New York. Sarasohn, one of the leaders of the Lower East Side immigrant community, was a pioneer of the Yiddish press. His first endeavors in this field, dating to 1872, were not successful, but his Tageblatt, launched in 1885, became the most popular daily newspaper of the Orthodox community. Sarasohn, who "deftly managed to associate with and retain credibility among all sectors of the diverse Orthodox community," served as a vice president of the Union of Orthodox Congregations of America and was close with the members of Agudath Harabonim. He was active in the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the Kishinev Relief Committee and the East Broadway Talmud Torah. Sarasohn visited the Land of Israel in 1895 in an effort to mediate a dispute between the Ashkenazim and Sephardim of Jerusalem regarding the distribution of charitable funds (vol. 6, no. 1, p. 2). He visited there again in 1901. |
