Funeral Service for Jacob Glatstein: Author, Journalist Poet Died at 75

A funeral service was held today for Jacob Glatstein, renowned Yiddish author, poet and journalist who died Friday at the age of 75. He was the first and only editor of the World Jewish Congress’ publication. Folk un Velt, and for many years columnist for the Day-Jewish Journal and Kempfer. Born in Lublin, Poland, Mr. Glatstein came to the US in 1914 and studied law at New York University. He began his literary career at the age of 17. He wrote 12 books of poetry, three novels and five volumes of essays, with a sixth scheduled for publication shortly.

Mr. Glatstein’s poetry was translated into English, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish and French. He was the LaMed Prize in 1941 and the Kovner Prize in 1956. He was a member of the Jewish Culture Congress, the Yiddish Writers Union and the Yiddish PEN Club. He co-founded the introspective Yiddish poetry group. Insich, in the 1920s. Dr. Nahum Goldman, WJC president said: “With the passing of Jacob Glatstein, the World Jewish Congress loses one of its most distinguished colleagues…One of the finest Yiddish poets of our generation, he was loved as much for his warm, friendly, unassuming personality as for the literary fame which his talent brought him. He leaves a gap that will be hard to fill.”