John Paley

Background

John Paley was born on February 6, 1871 in Radashkovichy, Minsk Region, Belarus (then, Vilna District, Russia). He was the son of Hyman Paley and Hayye Chortow.

Education

John Paley received a traditional Jewish training at private schools, the Talmudical colleges of Minsk and Volozhin, and the Rabbinical seminary at Libau, under the directorship of Dr. Hillel Klein. At the last-named city he first commenced to acquire a secular education. Leaving Libau, he continued his studies at Kaunas, in the present Lithuania, and from thence proceeded to Moscow, where he engaged in business.

Career

In 1888 John Paley left for the United States, where he remained until his death. Almost from the first day of his arrival in America, Paley was engaged in literary work. His first Yiddish novel, "Di Russishe Helden, " was written on the steamer bringing him to New York. It was submitted to and accepted by the Yiddish weekly Der Volksadvokat, and resulted in an invitation to join the staff of that paper. He later became its editor and publisher (1889 - 1891). In 1891 he became editor of Di Yiddishe Presse in Philadelphia, and a year later editor and publisher of the Volkswaechter in New York (1892 - 1893).

When the Volkswaechter was merged into the Jewish Daily News, he remained on the staff, and shortly afterwards was appointed editor-in-chief. In Paley's hands the Jewish Daily News (Jüdisches Tageblatt), the oldest Yiddish daily in the country, became a powerful organ of the Yiddish-speaking masses who held orthodox religious views. Its circulation rose rapidly. It was Paley who introduced into Yiddish journalism all the devices which had popularized the Hearst and Pulitzer publications, including shrieking headlines and sensational news stories. In his vigorous publicistic articles, however, he chose to represent the conservative Jewish opinion which was suspicious of the radical and socialist element in Jewish life. His forceful, intensely Jewish articles, signed Ben Amitai, appealed strongly to Orthodox Jewry throughout the country and won him a large personal following.

On the other hand, he was singled out by the Yiddish socialist press for bitter invective and attack. His stirring appeals for noteworthy causes, whether political or charitable, never failed to elicit a quick and effective response from his admirers. His journalistic talents and strong hold on the masses were recognized by both political parties, and turned to advantage in times of political campaigns. Paley wielded his sharp pen until his tragic death by suicide on December 23, 1907.

Achievements

• John Paley won the reputation as one of the best Yiddish journalists in the United States. He was the author of numerous novels and short stories. His best Yiddish novel was Di Russishe Helden. He also translated into Yiddish many works of fiction from world literature and wrote vaudeville sketches and plays.

Connections

John Paley married Sophia Amchaintzky.

Father:

Hyman Paley

Mother:

Hayye Chortow

Spouse:

Sophia Amchaintzky