SHMUEL GRAYF (SAMUEL GREIF)

SHMUEL GRAYF (SAMUEL GREIF) (June 20, 1890-August 1, 1967)

           He was born in Borislav (Boryslaw), eastern Galicia.  At age nine, he emigrated with his parents to the United States.  He initially received a traditional Jewish education, later (1905) graduating in New York from a public school; he continued his studies and in 1914 became a dentist.  At age fifteen he began to publish articles in Amerikaner (American).  He later published images and stories in Der arbayter (The laborer), edited by Dovid Pinski; he also wrote for Varhayt (Truth), using the pen name Sh. Azniya.  Over the years 1906-1910, he served as the New York correspondent for Togblat (Daily newspaper) in Lemberg and Yudisher arbayter (Jewish laborer) in Cracow.  In 1909 he founded in New York the “Estraykher literatur ferayn” (Austrian literary association) and edited its anthology Yugend-klangen (Youthful noises), 48 pp., in which he published a short fantasy entitled “Dem dikhters tsar” (The poet’s grief), pp. 26-27, and a bibliography of Yiddish newspapers in Galicia, pp. 41-42.  He was also the editor-publisher of Di nyu lats shtime (The voice of New Lots) (New York, 1916), no. 3, and in English of the trade journal for dentists.  Among his books: Fun kheyder un vayter (From religious primary school and beyond), a short collection of his published images and sketches (New York, 1922), 60 pp.  He was also the author of Who’s Who in Dentistry (New York, 1916-1925); and Dentistry in the Bible and Talmud (New York, 1918).  He was living in Brooklyn, New York.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 1; G. Bader, Medina veḥakhameha (The state and its sages) (New York, 1934), p. 25; Who’s Who in New York (9^th edition).