The Month of Rescue

Yehuda Karni

1943

It is for us, for all of us together,
To assist, to liberate, to rescue brothers,
From capture, from hunger and slaughter—
Rescue them from the vile Nazi oppressor.
Every man and woman whose soul still aches
The sorrow of our people who now dwell in darkness,
Must remember every night and day:
Those fated to perish are awaiting our help.
The…
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Holocaust and Post-Holocaust Fiction and Poetry

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Creator Bio

Yehuda Karni

1884–1949

Hebrew poet Yehuda Karni was born in Pinsk, and received a religious as well as a general education. His first Hebrew poem was published in Ha-tsefirah in 1897. Karni was active in communal affairs in Vilna, and attended Zionist congresses as a representative of the Po‘ale Tsiyon movement. In 1921, he moved to Palestine, assisted by Ḥayim Naḥman Bialik. From 1923 until his death, Karni served on the editorial board of Haaretz, contributing poetry and articles almost daily. Karni was a pioneer in adopting Sephardic diction in his poetry.

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