Introduction
David ben Joseph Samoscz (Yiddish: דוד בן יוסף זאַמושׁטשׁ; 29 December 1789 – 29 April 1864) was a German author of Hebrew children's literature.
Born in Kempen, Province of Posen, he went at an early age to Breslau, where he was a tutor and private teacher until 1822, when he entered business. Having met with reverses he toward the end of his life devoted himself again to literature. He was a prolific author of stories for the young, written in Hebrew and adapted mainly from the German, and of textbooks of instruction in the Jewish religion.
Work
Samoscz contributed Hebrew poems to periodicals, such as Bikkure ha-Ittim, and to the works of his Breslau friends, M. B. Friedenthal, Jacob Raphael Fürstenthal, and others. His other works include the following:
- Ger tzedek. Breslau. 1816. History of the conversion of Joseph Steblitzki, written in German with Hebrew characters.
- He-ḥarutz vehe-atzel. Breslau: Löb Sulzbach. 1817.
- Pillegesh ve-Gibeah, ein Biblisches Drama. Breslau. 1818.
- Tokeḥot musar. Sittenbüchlein in für Kinder. Breslau: H. Sulzbach. 1819.
- Teshuva le-mevakeer. Breslau: L. W. Sulzbach. 1821. Reply to a critique by J. H. Miro.
- Resise ha-melitzah. Dyhernfurth: Löb Sulzbach. 1822.
- Mafteaḥ beit David. Breslau: Löb Sulzbach. 1823.
- Metzi'at Amerika. Breslau. 1824. On the discovery of America, after Campe.
- Robinson der Jüngere (in Hebrew). Breslau: Löb Sulzbach. 1824. Also after Campe.
- Aguddat shoshannim, Hebräische Gedichtsammlung. Breslau: Löbel Sulzbach und Sohn. 1825.
- Halikot 'olam, ein Sittendrama. Breslau. 1829.
- Esh dat / Ohel David / Shire David. Breslau: Löbel Sulzbach und Sohn. 1834. Textbook of Hebrew instruction in three parts.
- Rigshat nafshi. Breslau. 1835. Poem in honor of the visit of King Frederick William III to Breslau.
- Nahar me-Eden. Breslau: Löb Sulzbach. 1836. Based on Johann Hübner's Christian Bible for children.
- Kol nehi. Breslau. 1840. Elegy on the death of Frederick William III.
- Kol anot simḥa. Löb Sulzbach. 1841.
- Re'ot Midian; o, yaldut Moshe (in Hebrew). Breslau: Hirsch Sulzbach. 1843.
- Le-ḥanukkat beit ha-tefilla. Hebräische Gesänge zu der Montag den 10. September 1855 stattfindenden Einweihungsfeier des neuen israelitischen Tempels in Leipzig (in Hebrew and German). Leipzig. 1855.
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