Morris Rosenfeld

Biography

Morris Rosenfeld, born in 1862 in what is now Belarus, emigrated to America and became one of the foremost Yiddish poets of his day, giving voice to immigrant laborers living in crushing tenements. His poems, often composed in free verse, told of the sweatshops and open sewers of New York while insisting on the dignity of the men and women who kept the city running.

Rosenfeld’s verses were translated into many languages, and his courage in naming injustice continues to inspire readers who seek to honor the sacrifices of those who came before them.