Nasib Aridah, 1887-1946   Nasib Aridah

(1887-1946) 

     
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   Nasib Aridah was born in Hims, Syria, August 1887.  He emigrated to the United States in 1905 after studying several years in Russian missionary schools, both in Hims, Syria and Nazareth, Palestine. He was chosen to study a year in Russia itself while at the Russian Teacher’s Training College in Nazareth, but missed the opportunity to go due to the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. 

Nasib Aridah, circa 1921Nasib spent his early years in the United States working at his cousins’ textile factory in New York City, first as a clerk then as a manager.  He opened up his own business in 1912, which was named “Al-Atlantic Publishing Co.”  In 1916, it was renamed “Al-Funoon Publishing Co.

In April of 1913, Nasib began publishing the journal al-Funun.  He published a total of nine issues before being forced to interrupt its publication; it experienced two other minor interruptions later in its life.  In 1916, it reappeared and from this point onwards Nasib published it fairly consistently till its demise in August of 1918; al-Funun published a total of 29 issues. Al-Funun’s difficulties were composed of several factors, which revolved around paper supply, subscription payment, manpower availability and World War I.

Najibah, Nasib and NoraIn 1923, Nasib married Najibah Haddad, Abd al-Masih and Nadrah Haddad’s sister. They lived a happy life together in Brooklyn, N.Y., although they never had any children of their own. Several years after their marriage, Najibah’s brother Abd al-Majid’s wife passed away leaving a young daughter, Nora, to care for. Typical of the times, Najibah and Nasib took Nora into their home and raised her as their own daughter.

Nasib died in Brooklyn, New York on March 25th of 1946.


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