Lodz, 15 February 1926

To my dear and devoted nephew and his worthy wife, Esther,

I have just returned from your father-in-law with whom I
spent four hours at the home of his nephew, Mr.  Sheps.  I
will report everything herein with precision just as if you
were here.

It is early Sunday morning, February 14.  I say to my wife
that tomorrow will be exactly one year since your wedding; if
only Mr. Anker were in Lodz, I would congratulate him on the
celebration of the first anniversary of the wedding of his
daughter to my devoted nephew.  I knew that your father-in-
law was supposed to be Lodz any day now, and I went out on
the street.  When I returned at 5:00, my wife told me that
your father-in-law waited for me for a whole hour.  He had
left his address where I could find him, at Mr. Sheps', 109
Pietrokover Street.  I went there, and we really had a good
time together from 8:00 to 11:30.

Dear Sol, the more I talk to your father-in-law, the harder
it is to tear myself away from him...since I imagine that you
are here with me and that I am talking to my dear nephew.
Really, dear Sol, isn't it a pleasure to talk to a bright
person?  My wife spoke to your father-in-law for more than an
hour in my absence attempting to make an impression on him
that the plan for me to leave would not work, that years and
years would go by and that she and the children would have to
suffer...

I don't know exactly what his answer to her was, but one
thing I have to tell you, Sol, is that, after the first three
words that your father-in-law spoke to me, I immediately
understood that you are prepared to do everything for your
uncle in order to have me close to you.  And really, when I
meet with a person who knows and understands the world, he
advises me, "If you have such a devoted and dear man who
offers himself for you, so why do you ask (questions)?
Escape to where the pepper grows.  Save the rest of your
life.  Don't think about what tomorrow will bring because
tomorrow will be worse than today."  And if I meet with
another person, an older person who has already lived out his
years...he says, "Wolf, you're torturing yourself and your
family.  Think it over carefully.  You're going to 'break'
Sol with the sort of money it will require until he brings
you to Canada and, afterwards, until he brings you to
Chicago.  How much will you have to suffer?  How much will
your children suffer?  See what's happening.  Men are
separated from their wives for decades.  Do you think that
you are a young man, eighteen years old?"

Then my daughter, Balcia, comes to me with a complaint,
"Father, do you know that I am going to be fifteen years old
and if you're not able to take me and the family out within
three years, then you'll be separated from me, and I from
you, G-d knows how long?"

Then comes my old, ill mother who has, by this time, made me
ill too with her love for me, and she says succinctly and
curtly that, since she will not live much longer and she
doesn't have another son, she wants me to be with her...

Yes, Sol, you've heard here the points of view of several
people and each of them has the full right to argue for what
he wants.  But it's a question of whether all the people who
love me so much that it's a shame to let me go away are
really out to do me harm...since they don't understand what
my goal is.

There comes to mind a tale which will serve as an analogy.
An argument arose between a midwife and a mother who had just
given birth.  The mother tugged at the infant to see if,
after all her suffering, the child was at least pretty, and
the midwife was tugging at the infant to show it to the
father in order to receive her fee.  And since each of them
had a right to the child and neither of them wanted to
concede, the child was injured.

It's the same with me, my devoted child.  I am the infant.  I
don't make my own decisions because I am powerless...everyone
loves me; everyone want to have me close by...and I am just
like clay in the hands of the potter.  As it is written,
"Kee heenay b'yad hayotsair."  The potter makes whatever he
pleases from the clay.  But I fear one thing...that I should
not be injured, like that child...  Believe me, Sol, I love
everyone, particularly those who are closest to me, but among
all those who are best and closest to me, I have no one to
whom I can unburden myself as I can to you.  Years ago, your
father was my best friend, but since...  So it has passed to
you!

I am seated in Mr. Sheps's house.  Opposite me sits your
father-in-law and drolly describes the situation in
the rural areas...don't forget that he leapt from Chicago to
Opoczno to Berszyn...  And I think to myself, "My G-d, am I
alive or dead?  He is describing how backward the people have
remained, how they are still asleep."  Yes, it's true.  It's
all true.  And you, Sol, don't you close your eyes once in a
while and remember your early years; you lived in Koplan's
building, in misery, and suffered from want.

I believe that a person sees and remembers everything,
all of the things that happen to him!  This trip will cost
your father-in-law money and time!  But he will have things
to talk about.  He will also be able to tell how the Polish
spongers chase after an American who comes to visit parents,
family, and so on.  And the worst is that we're dealing with
a bright man.  A fool in his stead would see nothing and hear
nothing.  But every move of a person, every type of person
makes an impression on a bright individual.

After your father-in-law read your latest letter to him at my
address, first of all, he inquired about the matter
concerning Uncle Eliezer and Moshe Zilberspitz, but since the
matter has calmed down and no one talks about it,
particularly in a small town where it is embarrassing when
someone attempts (suicide), I told him that it doesn't pay to
stir up the whole story involving a brother and a sister and
an inheritance that, in America, would have the value of two
pair of old fashioned shoes, one pair for ladies and one pair
for men!

And concerning me, he asks, "Wolf, although you are perhaps
not smart because you have no money, you are not a fool
either.  What can be done, Wolf, to satisfy Sol, because I
assured him that I would do everthing possible for you?"
The problem, however, is that in America people think it's
possible to do something in Poland, and in Poland people
think that it's possible to do something in America."  It's
just like the story of the young man right after his wedding.
He was the son of a man from Warsaw and the son-in-law of a
man from Lodz.  His father was a Gerer Chassid near Warsaw
and his father-in-law was an Alexander Chassid near Lodz.
Having no occupation after his wedding and not able to make a
decision as to what to do, he went with his father-in-law on
a Sabbath to the rabbi in Alexander to ask advice.  The rabbi
didn't think about it very long and advised the young man to
open a business in Warsaw near his father.  His father was
not too satisfied with this, and he decided to go with his
son to his rabbi to get an opinion.  But how stunned the
(young man) was when he was advised to open a business in
Lodz near his father-in-law.  The young man was not a fool
and decided to tell his father-in-law's rabbi the truth about
his having been placed in a dilemma as to what to do.  But
how surprised he was with the clever answer of the rabbi.
"Young man, we rabbis are not in error in reacting to your
question.  The rabbi of Ger lives close to Warsaw; he knows
that (one can't make a living in) Warsaw, so he advised you
to do business in Lodz.  On the other hand, I live close to
Lodz; I know that (one can't make a living in) Lodz, so I
advised you to do business in Warsaw.  The important thing is
the money involved...

There's a related problem, my devoted child, with the
hustlers.  They are skilled swindlers.  Thousands of people
have been swindled.  I know as well as your father-in-law
does that the law is very strong and we are too weak to do
anything violative of the law.  As far as Canada is
concerned, I wrote again and asked them to do everything that
they can.  Unfortunately, I haven't received any response
from them...  My wife's younger brother did add a note (in a
letter) to his wife that they would try to get affidavits.
His words are not reassuring to me.  He has been in the
country for only four months; he himself is still reliant on
his brother's help...

Therefore, my devoted child, arriving home from your father-
in-law at midnight, I sit and write this letter to you now.
I find myself in a serious predicament.  And you, my devoted
child, and your father-in-law are not in any better
predicament than I am because when one person wants to help
another person and there are hindrances...the assistance is
thwarted!

I can only say this much, my devoted child.  The world is
closing in on me from day to day.  Don't think that I have
placed myself as a burden on your shoulders, that you have to
subsidize me, that you have to help.  No, you've subsidized
enough, helped enough, perhaps beyond your means.  I see that
I wear people out, I bother people, and I keep going
downhill, I keep sinking...  Will you be successful in saving
your uncle before he is ruined...or, chas v'cholilah, not???
But, let us wait and see what time will bring us.

Not having any more news to write about, I send heartfelt
regards to you and your worthy wife and also to your dear
mother-in-law, father and sisters.  Heartfelt regards from my
wife and children.  Your grandmother, Uncle Eliezer and Aunt
Estherl send heartfelt regards to you all.  Your
father-in-law, Mr. Anker, sends heartfelt regards to
everyone.  You will see him in person in a short time.

                             With respect,

                             Wolf Lewkowicz

I did not force your father-in-law, but he willingly told me
everything about you and those closest to you that I asked
him about.  Concerning me, whatever you need to know you will
learn from him.


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