Lodz, 9 February 1928 Beloved and esteemed brother, as well as nephew, and niece, I have received your letter of January 12 in which you joke that, for the time being, we should not sit around idly but rather arrange for ritual circumcisions... I know, Sol, that your advice was not directed at me because such things involve young men and young wives, but I...how can I involve myself in such frivolities and trivialities...? However, my dear and devoted one, let's put this question off to debate another time because I have no patience for it right now, even though patience and pure thoughts are not necessary for it. Yet, surely, it is always a part of our nature to joke with each other now and then because if we didn't laugh out loud once in a while we would long ago have ceased to exist in this sinful little world. May G-d grant that I will always be able to send you happy letters as I always love to receive happy letters from you, because happiness makes a person healthy and energetic. However, for the time being, my devoted one, I have no happy tidings to convey to you. So, for example, my sister, Aunt Estherl, was here with me in Lodz for three days. As I have already written to you, she has a young girl, eight years of age, who is suffering from a nasty illness and lying here in the hospital. She has been lying here for eight weeks already. It has already cost more than $100, and we don't see the slightest improvement up to now. G-d knows how long more the illness will last. The symptom of the illness is that the child has a tremor in her hand and foot; her mouth is misshapen; she cannot speak normally. Doctors say that the illness is called plasewica, a sort of serious nerve strain. They are encouraging and say that it can be cured, but up to now we see no improvement at all... And my sister returned home yesterday with a heavy, broken spirit! Now, as far as my wife is concerned, I can write that she is up and around, no longer in bed. However, she goes to the hospital every two days for treatment. The doctors have recommended that she be operated on, but neither she nor I are in agreement with surgery. We hope that she will get better without it. As of now, it is not getting worse, chas v'cholilah, but better. Beyond that, everything with us is in order, i.e., I am well, bless G-d, and our daughter, Balcia, is working. She doesn't earn much, but it is enough for her clothing. Rifchele is going to school, is not a bad student and is feeling fine. The state of her health, thank G-d, is in the best of order. In summer, the school will send her to summer camp again, and she will be completely recovered. Further, the apple of my eye, Joseph, is going to school and to Hebrew school, is not a bad student, is industrious and capable. His teacher thinks highly of him. May G-d help me so that I will be able to make a refined person of him, as our fathers made of us... Further, as far as making a living is concerned, what shall I write? We suffer along with 95% of the people. I have already informed you in my last letter how I wound up with the mill. I was able to rescue all of my brother-in-law's money, and I also came out with almost $200. However, as my sister tells me, she became involved with a loan to them of $100 again right after I left. The money is not lost, but Lazer will have to wait a long time until he again sees his money before his eyes. Further, I am anxious to see the letter that you promised to write me about Bryndl and her husband. I understand, Sol, that you are right, not he. However, as far as that is concerned, my devoted one, don't pay attention to words. Don't be insulted by your own. Hold your tongue and accept it. Don't get together often with the sort of people who cause you aggravation and pain. Be his guest and observe whether, in his home, he gives better treatment to his wife, his family, his guests than he does to you as a brother-in-law. I send best regards to my sister's daughter, Bryndl, and her husband and darling son. I send heartfelt regards to my dear and precious Ruchele. I wish her success in her new undertaking. May G-d give her health to make the ill well. Regards to the apple of your eye, Rifchele, whom I don't know. Sol, why don't you ever write how your father is doing as to health and business, etc. If you visit him once in a while, give him my regards. Here in the family, we speak of him often and of you too. And how are your grandmother and grandfather and uncles, et al? In my last letter, I asked you a question concerning Toronto. My in-laws and brothers-in-law write fairly good letters. What do you say, Sol, should I begin to do something about it? Should I correspond with them or not? Making money here in Poland is very difficult. It is impossible to make a living because there is no work. So, since I see that I am living on the few dollars (that I have) and that I can't think about a store with a capital of $150-$200, I am now planning to learn a trade. I want to learn how to make hosiery. I don't know whether it would be good in America or Canada, but it's certainly better than sitting around doing nothing because there is an excess of storekeepers in Lodz, and there are tens of thousands of hotshots like me gazing at the heavens... So, with nothing more to write about, I end my letter. With the most heartfelt of regards, I salute you, my devoted and precious one. Also, heartfelt and loving regards to my niece, Esther, and thank her very much for her regards to us. I send her 100 warm kisses. Don't be angry, Sol, because your uncle kisses your dear wife since, in fact, I am transmitting these kisses through you yourself. After reading this letter, go home and, before you go to sleep, read it for your wife and give her the 100 kisses at that very time. If she asks you why your kisses are so warm and so numerous, tell her that it's not your fault, that you received them today by mail from your uncle for your dear wife. Further, as to your writing that 1927 was not a bad year and that you are sure that 1928 will be worse, so I write that, while it gets worse every year, nevertheless it isn't decreed whether you will make more in 1928 than in the previous year. In any event, I hope that you will become as rich in America as Rosenwald of Chicago. Then you would be tempted to come to Europe for a vacation with your dear wife. My wife sends her heartfelt regards to you, your wife and family. Regards to you also from Uncle Lazer, Aunt Estherl, Uncle Emanuel Lewin and children, Aunt Dina Raisel and children, Aunt Chaya Rifke Zilberspitz, Yankel Lewin and sons, and many more whom I don't recall. In a word, regards from Lodz, Opoczno, Kinsk. Please answer promptly with a long letter with lots of details. All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.