Judah Leon Gordon

Judah Leon Gordon 1830-92, Russian-Hebrew novelist and poet, b. Vilna. As teacher and writer he was one of the leaders in the renaissance of a progressive culture among the Jews (see Haskalah ) and he was an indefatigable foe of obscurantism. His historical poems were followed by satirical works attacking the severity of traditional Judaism. He wrote in incomparable classical Hebrew, and in Russian, Yiddish, and German as well. A complete edition of his works was published (1928-35) in Tel Aviv.

Gordon, Judah (1831–92). Heb. writer. Through his poetry and journalism, Gordon inveighed against the rigidity of the rabbinic leaders of his time. He was a prominent supporter of the haskalah. Although not a committed Zionist, he proposed the founding of a society for those going to Palestine.