Lodz, 1 April 1926

To my devoted and most beloved nephew and his worthy
   wife, E. Zissman,

I am now anwering your letter, my devoted one.  But I myself
do not know which one to answer first, your long letter from
Toronto, your letter of March 6, or the $25.  I will begin
with the first.  So, really, when you let me know that you
were going to Toronto to meet my brothers-in-law, I was
greatly distressed by the news.  It was very nice of you, my
devoted one, and whoever read your letter and learned
everything that you are doing for your uncle was simply
amazed that it is possible in these modern times (to find)
such a devoted nephew who should extend himself so for an
uncle.  My friends here are embarrassed when they learn of
everything you do for me, and they constantly write letters
to Toronto saying that I should not be taken out alone, but
with my family...

When I received your first short letter from Toronto, in fact
I sent you an answer, but I tell you openly that that letter
did not satisfy me or you because it was written under the
supervision of my...  Not wanting to cause any conflict, I
enclosed a small sheet of paper with a new address by which I
meant to give you a free hand so that you would be able to
write everything...because there are no secrets between us.
I know you; I understand you; and you certainly know and
understand me.  Since you are bright and insightful, you
didn't wait for the address...but wrote to your father-in-
law's address.

As to the long letter which caused Mr. Anker to ask me to
come to Berszyn and which he gave me, what can I say, Sol?  I
read in your letter that you did not agree with them; you did
not come to an understanding with them; you got to know
them...  It caused me to feel a great sense of satisfaction.
It is a pity though that you made the trip and wasted the
time that you spent with them because, really, why didn't
they travel to you rather than you to them?

And now, my devoted one, that you have been already been in
Toronto and have acquainted yourself with my brothers-in-law,
and have described them from head to wallet, I also want to
tell you of a few episodes from my experience about my
brother-in-law, Mr. Shia Rotberg, a/k/a Smith.  If you would
like to know how this "guest" came to America, I can only
tell you, briefly, that fifteen years ago he met a young
woman in Lodz whose father was in New York and whose mother
was in Lodz.  In a word, he promised to marry her under the
condition that they would also send tickets for a ship for
him as a groom.  And, in fact, that's the way he went.  But

when he arrived in New York, he betrayed his fiance and broke
his word...  Naturally, they hunted him so long that he had
to leave America and go to Canada and adopt a new name, Mr.
Smith!

A second episode.  He opens some sort of cleaning store there
to press suits, and a young woman works there; I think she is
now his wife.  He married her out of a clear sky.  So that's
good, isn't it?  But he writes letters here that he is
coming, that he must come because his wife is a spendthrift,
crazy, she can't cook, etc.  And the most important thing,
she is pregnant and doesn't want to lie in bed...eats
voraciously and snacks, etc.

And another episode.  After he had four children and his wife
was going to deliver the fifth child, he wrote here to his
parents requesting them to send him a name from Poland.  You
hear, Sol, there is a shortage of names in America, so one
sends to Poland to get a name...

I have a lot more of such episodes respecting him to write
about, but I don't want to waste a lot of your time.  I
only wanted to point out to you to whom you went to come to
an understanding with and with whom you were going to enter
into a business arrangement...  There is a saying going
around here that you don't know a person until you do
business with him or live with him, and I have known these
people too well...particularly since I did business with
them...and I lived with them...

As to Berish, I can write that he is considered to be the
smartest one in his family and he shows it in a letter to his
sister about you with the following words: "I had the honor
today to meet with Wolf's nephew, S. Zissman, of Chicago.  He
is a young man of 22-23 years of age, who looks like he is
18, weighs about 120 pounds, a youthful appearance with a
pair of clever, searching eyes, who speaks more with his eyes
than with his mouth.  There are not a great many such
nephews, and one can well be eager to go to such nephews.
But you, my sister, what are you going to do in the
meanwhile?"

Berish told you that he was angry with me for two years.  I
can assure you that if he had not come to say goodbye to me
when he left, I would have been able to get along without
him.  All my life I have "thrown bread" his way and, on the
other hand, he has thrown stones at me...  In short, my
devoted child, as well as you know your uncle and as much as
you empathize with your uncle in all respects, I state
clearly that I never thought much of them, and I still don't
think much of them.  My goal is to distance myself from them,
not to come into closer contact with them.  Don't think, Sol,

that if I were to come to Toronto, I wouldn't have anything
to do with them.  To you, my devoted one, I want to fly.  I
would walk for three years in order to see you before my eyes
because, as of now, I don't feel anyone in my family is as
close and as devoted as you are.  Therefore, I state clearly
to you, and I have also told your father-in-law that I am not
in agreement with the plan of my brothers-in-law to leave
with my whole family.  I don't know whether or not you are
able to manage it, but it seems to me that that plan is not
practical.  I can't, and I don't want to, chas v'cholilah,
break you with such a sum.  Five tickets for the ship alone
cost $700 in addition to...  My idea is that it would be good
if you could just take me out directly to you in Chicago or
via Canada and later I would be able to bring my family over;
if not, we have to give up the whole plan until better
conditions present themselves.  Perhaps G-d will help and the
law will be modified in a way that is favorable to me.  I
have spoken here quite a bit with Mr. Anker, and at present
there's nothing to do.

Before the holidays, I met Mr. Anker in Opoczno.  He will
tell you the sort of circumstances in which he found me...
He also gave me $10; this was the week of Passover when I
didn't have any prospects for earning anything.  Uncle Lazer
and Aunt Estherl also had a conversation with him and
suggested something, but he listened to everything and
brushed it aside...  I stand like a fool.  I am being choked,
and I really am fearful to give up the everything.  And if I
do abandon the whole idea, I have in mind that if Sol
actually does help, might he not harm Mr. Anker's daughter???
I would have expressed myself differently with you, Sol.  I
would not have concealed anything from you.  If we could
succeed, we would have come up with a solution; and if not,
we wouldn't have talked about it.  Action is better than
talk.

Now, I want to let you know that, after Mr. Anker talked over
my situation with Uncle Lazer in Opoczno, he made a special
request for me to come to Berszyn and put this question to
me.

He had become convinced of the following:  It isn't
permissible to go to Chicago at present; and they don't want
to bring me out to Canada alone but only with the whole
family, and this is impossible...  On the other hand, to open
a business here in Poland involves a lot of money because the
key money for a store is $200-$300, and after that?

My life has become ugly.  How long can I continue to write
for assistance.  I received help once.  I received help a
second time.  And what will happen in the future?

Well, Uncle Lazer wants to help with $100, and $50 is
available from a source that Mr. Anker will tell you about.
Now, he asked that I should say how much Sol should give.
But under no circumstances can I say that, because who should
be able to crawl with his shoes into another person's wallet?
I can only write, my devoted child, that from my point of
view I want with all my strength to go to America and, with
time, to bring the family and to help someone else.  And if,
chas v'cholilah, it will not be possible for you to succeed
in this undertaking, then wait until your father-in-law
returns.  He will embark on April 24, and you will listen to
his opinion of Uncle Lazer's plan concerning me.  And with
your good head, I ask you to correspond with Uncle Lazer
thoroughly concerning me, and perhaps G-d will help so that
together you will be able to do something for me because both
of you are sincere.

And as to your sending me the $25, may G-d help you so that
you will never be in need, chas v'cholilah, and may you find
support in your moments of crisis.  Your money came at the
right time.  Thank G-d, I prepared for Passover.  I didn't
scrimp on tears at the Seder having in mind that even though
Sol sends it to me with his full heart, nevertheless may I
have the good fortune to prepare for next Passover with my
own money.

Heartfelt regards to you and your worthy wife.  Give her some
warmhearted kisses from me.  My wife and children, Uncle
Lazer, Aunt Estherl send their heartfelt regards.

Please answer promptly.  It's possible that I'll send another
letter with Mr. Anker.  He said that he would be here with me
again.

If you wish, you may also write to the following address,
R. Bok, Lipowa 44, Lodz, for W.L.; but the less written
about...the better, because I don't want to create any
conflicts...it's enough that we know about them.


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