Lodz, 14 June 1928 To my most devoted and beloved brother, as well as nephew, and niece with your worthy name, Zissman, I received your seventeen or eighteen page letter of May10-14 with a picture of Ruchele three days ago. I had been waiting impatiently to receive a letter from you, and really, my devoted one, you made me wait for an answer for two to three weeks. If you knew, my devoted one, how much pain you cause your uncle by not answering promptly, perhaps you wouldn't do it. But, I accept your apology as an explanation and don't blame you this time for the procrastination toward your uncle. However, I beg you not to let this happen again (i.e.,) to send one answer to three letters and, on top of that, to do so tardily. I lack the words to thank you for the picture of Ruchele. The picture made such an impression on me that I wept recalling how ill she was three years ago and how much you, as a devoted brother, endured and offered your service for the sake of her health. And thank G-d, Sol, that your work and effort were not in vain. I am also pleased that her thoughtfulness directed her to the selection of such a fine pursuit that deals with saving people, with healing the ill, with nourishing the weak, etc. The picture is really a treasure in my home, and my wife and I are very thankful to you for this priceless gift. I would like to return a gift to my dear sister's daughter, but what and how? It's possible that we'll take care of it when you are here. Sol, I write "when you are here" so casually, just as if you were already packing your bag there. It's possible that you don't even dream about coming. To the contrary, I often dream of your coming. I know that you are not a liar or a bluffer. If you wrote that you are planning to make a trip, I am more than certain that, sooner or later, you will certainly come because my conscience bothers me and, during my life, I want to see my most beloved and devoted brother who so often saved me from hunger, from need, from the cold... Furthermore, my devoted one, I don't know whether our destinies might not cause us to return together, I to Canada and you to Chicago. In my last letter, I noted the sort of contrast there is between one of their letters and another. I swore to myself that I would not write to them. But, what can I do? My wife, Aunt Malke, is coming to the conclusion that I am not completely out of my mind and, in fact, she has begun to correspond with them recently... The last letter from them was during the week of Shavuos, i.e., about a month ago. I happened to be in Opoczno concerning getting a job there in the same mill. But having been there two weeks and recognizing how everything there is established on such shaky ground, how the partners are at each other's throats again and cast me in the role of their scapegoat... Arriving home, I found a letter from my in-laws in which they write that everything is good again. They are already living in their own place. They receive a pension from their sons, and lack for nothing. We should come. Great. So, they inquire, if we want only affidavits, i.e., the necessary papers, they'll see to Berish sending them. So, Sol, would you answer them??? Not I. However, Aunt Malke did answer them that we have enough to make the journey... The sum consists of $200 of our own money that we would put together, $200 that we would get for the apartment if we were to sell it, and we figure that, as to the rest, G-d will help. Until the time we go, He will surely be able to help. It really makes no difference whom He helps, if only He helps... Believe me, Sol, I don't want to do any calculating and planning now as to how I will be enabled to go because I will have time to worry myself about it when I have the necessary paperwork in my pocket. At the present time, I dare not sit with folded hands waiting for the Canadian good fortunes. I have to seek out a way to earn a gulden for the daily bread that we need to eat. My wife has recently recognized that all of my battles have been fought to win a better tomorrow than today is, a better future than the past was, a better old age than our youth was. But I'm tempted to laugh as my wife makes the calculations, without a bookkeeper, and amasses $500-$600 just like the matchmaker who once approached a young man to propose a match, a match for money. "How much of a dowry does the young lady have," the young man asked. "There's already $400 to count on," said the matchmaker. "Are you serious?" asked the young man. "Yes," swore the matchmaker, and started to count on his fingers, "$100 she's got; $100 she's pot; $100 between heaven and earth; and $100 is this misfortune worth." Well, can a better dowry be found? It's the same with my $500-$600, my devoted one. It's true that I can get $200 for the apartment. But what I am owed on the street and what I owe on the street, I don't count as money because, as long as I am here on the spot, I can squeeze something out. However, when I leave, all that will be left from all the debts is a 0. And yet, my devoted and dear one, I am highly pleased that Aunt Malke wrote for the necessary papers. May they only send them. I'll have time to figure out what to do. However, I am sure that they will not send the papers very soon. And if they do, they will only be effective for the following year in any event, if I am not in error. Write me, my devoted one, whether or not I have acted wisely in turning over the entire initiative to my wife. By all means, let her prevail, let her achieve that by which I have become exhausted. Aunt Malke has surely also given them your address and, if I am not mistaken, you will receive a conciliatory letter from them. We would like to see, on their part, deeds, acts, justice. If they have the papers, let them send them to you or to me. For the time being, I don't ask anyone to send any money. Furthermore, Sol, I don't have to instruct you on what to write to them. You are smarter than I am... Further, my dear one, I can write you that lately I have dealt with potatoes and, according to my calculations, I should have had a profit, but there was a mishap... We invested 1,400 gulden, i.e., $160, in three wagon loads of potatoes. It was $80 per person because I was involved in a partnership with a partner. Briefly, my devoted one, my luck is so bad that no matter what I touch, no matter what I start, it goes to pot. I would even prefer that things get worse. It should get more bitter than it is. It should be more sour than it is...because there is a saying going around in Poland, "(Jak) may byc kwasne niech bedzie jak ocet." The translation is, "If it's going to be sour, let it be like vinegar"... Therefore, my devoted and beloved one, don't think that I take advantage of my writing to you in order to have you send me something, that that's the reason for my writing you about my "successes." No, chas v'cholilah. As of now, I ask of you nothing more than a mere letter every two weeks. I am simply writing you the truth about your uncle's "successes" during recent times. And it seems to me that when I write to you about my agony, I feel a bit better, just as you write to unburden yourself about your brother-in-law who doesn't cause you, or me, any pleasure, even though I can't be helpful in any way except to commiserate. I also require nothing more of you than to commiserate because, really, both of us are so hapless since we don't even have anyone to confide in. Dear Sol, I ask again that, if you should receive a letter from Toronto, you let me know what they write to you. Don't send a cent to them or to me because you know your Uncle Wolf too well. I want to wait and see what sort of kindness my brothers-in-law will extend, to their sister. I have already informed you that they won't soon see my handwriting unless I detect that they are doing something appropriate for me. You there may also write them that they can afford to put at risk the few dollars that it may cost for the necessary paperwork. I believe I have that much coming from them. So, I've written and bothered you enough about Canada and going there. It may be that they're not even thinking about me, but about their business, and I'm bothering you about leaving. Sol, would that I not remain a liar (when I say) that everything will await your arrival. And when you come, I think everything will be decided. So, I close my letter with heartfelt regards from me and my wife and children for you, for our dear niece, Esther, and for your in-laws, family, sisters, et al. Aunt Esther and Uncle Lazer send their heartfelt regards. Please answer promptly. With respect, your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz Lipowa 44 Lodz, Poland All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.