Asch, Sholem, << ash, SHAW luhm >> (1880-1957), a Polish-born author, was the first person to achieve international recognition writing in Yiddish. Asch’s heroes search for faith and yearn for an ideal. A major theme of his works is that the individual, no matter how sinful, strives for holiness.
Asch first gained fame for his novel A Shtetl (A Town, 1904). This work introduced a new romantic tone into Yiddish literature. Earlier Yiddish writers had portrayed Jewish life in eastern Europe in a largely negative way. In A Shtetl, Asch stressed its harmony, strength, and respect for tradition.
Asch was fascinated with the relation between Christianity and Judaism. He wrote three related biographical novels about the founders of Christianity—The Nazarene (1939), The Apostle (1943), and Mary (1949). He hoped that his presentation of Christianity’s Jewish heritage would reduce prejudice against Jews. However, many Jewish critics attacked Asch for what they believed was a move away from Judaism toward Christianity. Asch also became known for his plays, most notably God of Vengeance (1907). Asch was born on Nov. 1, 1880, in Kutno, Poland. He moved to the United States in 1914 and became a U.S. citizen in 1920. He died on July 10, 1957.
