Lodz,  2 April 1929

Beloved and precious brother, as well as nephew,

I have received your letters, one in which you write me that you
had a small party on February 15 for your fourth anniversary and
the second letter in answer to my letter to you from Opoczno.

Devoted and beloved Sol, even though your last letter did not
satisfy me, and I really have nothing to answer now, in order
that you there should not interpret (thusly)..."You see.  As
long as I gave, as long as I sent my uncle dollars, small
checks, everything was all right.  He wrote letters, and what
sort of letters!...  And now, when I merely wrote that I will
not send any money, he doesn't write any more"...so I write to
you, devoted Sol, that I am not surprised that you do not want
to do business in Opoczno and live in Chicago...  If one were to
analyze it from a purely business perspective, perhaps it is not
logical.  However, it seems to me, Sol, if you were here on the
spot and were wholly familiar with the matter, you might
characterize the matter differently.  There is a popular saying
in Poland:  A drowning person will try to save himself by
grasping for the sharp end of a razor.  

Don't think, Sol, that your uncles, Uncle Wolf as well as Uncle
Lazer, do nothing but sit day and night and think only of how to
extract a little American "dough," as they call it, from their
nephew.  If that's what you think there, Sol, I must tell you
the unvarnished truth...that you're making a big mistake about
your uncles.  Not one word that was written by me or by Uncle
Lazer is untrue; rather, it is the pure truth.  It is true that
Uncle Lazer, as of now, has been sentenced, chas v'cholilah, to
give up the bakery.  It's also true that he wanted to take me in
as a partner in order to assure me a livelihood in the future.  

Ah, as to your writing that, when he has completed everything,
the Polaks will come and take everything away, yes, it may
happen.  I can't say that it won't.  However, what sort of
solution is there for such a possibility?  If one views it this
way, no one should build, no one should open a business. 
Meanwhile, I see that real estate in Poland has increased in
price by 100%.  

However, dear Sol, what's the use of talking so much?  There is
an old saying that you can't force anyone to loan you money or
to love you.  In any event, I won't press you on the first
point.  On the other hand, I will press you on the second point
because no one is in a position to break our mutual bond of
affection except, chas v'cholilah, Death...

Since you read enough in the newspapers there about life in
Poland in general and about us "little" people in particular, it
will be enough for me to relate to you here several typical
incidents in Lodz.  Recently, the bankruptcies have taken on
such a catastrophic character that there's already talk about
such firms as Poznyske, Hebler, Gompe, Herman being bankrupt. 
Even though you are not familiar with such firms, just visualize
that they are the outstanding entrepreneurs in Lodz.  Each of
them employs from 8,000 to 10,000 people and, nevertheless,
they're not able to survive the crisis.  In addition, you
certainly knew of Hochberg of Kinsk.  He went bankrupt and
embezzled over 200,000 zlotys of dowry money alone in Kinsk.  

However, dear Sol, what sort of relationship does their
condition have with my letter?  Believe me, Sol, I write and
don't know myself what I am writing because I am all mixed up
now.  It's not enough that I can't make a living and that the
crisis in Lodz is growing from day to day, winter this year
taught us a lesson that we will remember for a long time.  As if
I don't have enough trouble of my own, my sister's trouble also
came along.  

Really, dear Sol, what sort of solution is available after all? 
And, really, why am I asking for a solution of you?  Don't I
well know that you can't help to provide a solution?  And do you
think, Sol, that at the time your uncle wrote to you about
$1,000 he imagined here that you there were as rich as Rosenwald
(of Sears Roebuck)?  No, Sol, your uncle knows very well the
sort of colossal sum $1,000 is.  He also knows how to assess the
work you have to do in order to earn $1,000.  However, I don't
know if you would have a better way of helping yourself if you
were in my place.  Do you think, Sol, that I am angry because of
what you wrote?  G-d forbid.  I am angry only at myself because
I am not able to help myself and always have to approach someone
else for assistance.  Haven't you then already fulfilled your
obligation with respect to me?...  

Then again, we here looked at the situation differently,
evaluating it against your speculating on my going to Canada. 
That alternative looks like this.  For the first three years I
will have to be concerned with bringing the family over; the
second three years I will be able to begin to be concerned with
repaying you.  And am I so sure that I will improve things for
myself?...  Just as I am not certain about (the results in)
Opoczno, so am I not certain about Canada.  The best
illustration I have is my wife's brother, Shia.  He's been in
Canada for twenty years already and is poverty-stricken...  

As far as that's concerned, Sol, putting all of the conditions
to one side, I am of a mind to go to Canada.  But do you know
how?   In a way that would not involve a cent of yours.  Two
months ago I received a letter from Berish in which he wrote
that, if we want to come, the only way for us is to send our
Balcia first, and if we agree, he would send documents right
away.  Naturally, I immediately answered that I am prepared to
send my Balcia and later she would send for us.  However, as of
now everything is at a dead end.  I have neither received an
answer, nor do I know whether they're working on it there.  The
old folks also don't write anything, and everything is at a
standstill.  Meanwhile, Purim is over and Passover is
approaching.  Thought has to be given to as to how to provide
for the four cups (for the Passover meal)...as there is no way
to earn anything.  For the time being, we sit and gaze at the
heavens.  From whence will our help come?...

So, I end my letter with heartfelt regards for you and your
worthy wife and family.  My wife, children and the family send
heartfelt regards to all.  Joseph is all right.  Wolfche sends
regards to all and sends thanks for the regards to him.  

Regards to Ruchele, Bryndele, Rifchele, et al.

		With respect,      

		W. Lewkowicz    

		Lipowa 44   

		Lodz, Poland


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