Lodz, 7 March 1937

To my dear and devoted brother, as well as nephew,

Two weeks ago, I received a letter from you, as well as
newspapers, that I had waited for.  By chance, two days earlier,
I sent a letter to you in which I complained about your making
me wait for an answer.

Devoted Sol, I read your letter very carefully and understood it
even more thoroughly.  As to your writing me that you have now
taken revenge on your former partner, the Greek, perhaps you
remember that I warned you to be careful about entering into a
partnership because I had concluded that Greeks are very smart
and sharp.  However, as I read your last letter, I see that you
are also not a fool.  In such a situation, one has to determine
who laughs last, and if you are laughing last, it's an
indication that the other fellow has made a fool of himself.  In
any event, Sol, it will be a good lesson for you; you will have
learned something from your smart and sharp partner.  There's an
old saying that it's better to lose to a smart person than to
win from a fool.  In addition, if you didn't lose and the other
fellow did lose, it's obvious that you won.

Further, it delights me to hear that your son, Leonard, is a
good student and a fine youngster, without an evil eye.  May G-d
help you to have pleasure from him.  On Passover, if G-d so
wills, if he asks the Four Questions, give him the right
explanation because there are times in life when a son asks his
father a question, and the father is not able to provide an
explanation for the son...e.g., you and your father...

Now, dear and devoted brother, what is the reason for your 1936
profit and loss statement coming out even, i.e., no profit, no
loss.  In fact, the newspapers write, after all, that prosperity
has already come to America.  So, common sense tells us that you
should have made a profit.  Is it possible that your expenses
increased in comparison to 1935?  Whatever the case may be, I am
pleased to hear that you and your worthy wife and dear son are
well and making a living.  

Further, as to me, dear brother, I have nothing of importance to
relate.  Everyone is well, thank G-d, and we are becoming
accustomed to our troubles.  It was very bad at the beginning
because the affliction was still fresh, and every day, when I
came home from my hard work, as soon as the children saw me,
they immediately began to weep.  I had to console them, and they
consoled me.  Now, we console each other, and we hope to find
consolation in our love for one another.  There are even moments
when we are not able to control ourselves, neither I nor the
children.  Something is lacking in our home which cannot be
replaced, i.e., a devoted wife, a warmhearted, loving mother.  I
don't have to write this to you, Sol, because you have enough
experience (with this) in your life...  Even though I am strong
enough to accept life with all its gruesomeness and happenings,
still the children and I feel so stunned and vanquished that the
world feels like it's closing in on me.  I wander around in a
bitter darkness, forsaken, lonesome, abandoned by relatives and
strangers, and think about how to move as quickly as possible
through the few years left to me.

There are still two goals that I would like to achieve during my
lifetime: to arrange a wedding for my daughter, Rivkele - and to
see you, Shloyme, before my eyes again.  Yes, if I were to be
deemed worthy of achieving these two things during my lifetime,
then I would be able to die peacefully...to free myself
completely of all the troubles and suffering.  However, let's
hope, Sol, that some day there will also be an end to my
troubles.  I have great hopes for Joseph although he is still
very young.  Nevertheless, he already understands the life of a
worker.  He is not lazy; he wants to work and is capable of
earning a living.  He wants to harness himself to the wagon of
life.

To go on, Rivkele is a weak, but accomplished, child.  She had
too refined an upbringing for a worker's life, and yet she takes
everything in stride and runs the house as well as if her mother
were alive.  Our only concern is with the future because our
past has been a sad one; the present (is) also not bright. 
However, however, we would at least like to build for the future
so that it would make us forget about all our troubles.  Whether
we'll be able achieve it without outside help only the future
will tell.

Well, nothing more of importance to relate.  Heartfelt regards
to you, your wife and son.  Regards also to your dear sisters,
Ruchel, Bryndl and Ruth.  Write me how Ruchel and Ruth are
feeling (and) whether they're working.  Also write me how your
father is doing (and) whether he knows of my tragedy.  Regards
to your in-laws, uncles, aunts and cousins.  My children,
Rivkele and Joseph, send heartfelt regards to all.  Uncle Lazer,
Aunt Esther, Aunt Poria Lewin, cousin Pinya Lewin, and the whole
family send regards to you.  Cousin Esther Goldberg, the
daughter of Uncle Emanuel Lewin, is enclosing a note.  Please
answer her.  I wish all of you there a kosher and happy Pesach. 
From me, 

		Your uncle and brother, 

		Wolf Lewkowicz


All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.