Lodz, 18 October 1931 Devoted, dear brother, as well as nephew, and niece, Zissman, Yesterday, I received your dear letter, dated October 1, and I am answering the same immediately. First of all, I write that Aunt Malke has felt much better for the last two weeks although, until Succos, she almost spent more time in bed than being up and around. Now she is not fully recovered but, nevertheless, she is getting along and is no longer going to doctors, taking medicines, etc. Further, devoted brother, I inform you that Rifkele returned from Opoczno the second day of Succos. She doesn't want to go back there. First of all, she doesn't want to leave her weak, ill mother. Secondly, she doesn't enjoy being in the rural areas although, from the standpoint of her health, there was quite an effect of her being there about a year's time. Nevertheless, she sees no goal, no career that she would be able to undertake in Opoczno. Devoted Sol, keep in mind that Rifkele is no longer a child. She is already eighteen years old, mature, refined and pleasant. Although she has no education beyond elementary school, she can handle herself in a social situation, is not dumb, is not a fool. In a word, (she has) more favorable attributes than shortcomings. She has two major shortcomings which may outweigh her favorable attributes. The first is that she is sickly and cannot undertake any physical work. The second is that she is mine... Perhaps, if her parents were wealthy, all of her shortcomings could be improved. In any event, I will be concerned about my Rifkele until, until, she achieves something, because she has given up on Opoczno and won't go back there! From my point of view, I would also be happy for her to remain in Lodz, but as a...healthy person! In any event, dear brother, I can only be encouraged and hope that, in time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will help so that my worries will be eased somewhat... Reading through your dear, devoted letter which is filled with humor and with jokes, I feel, devoted Sol, that you want to give your uncle a bit of pleasure. This is a family trait of ours. No matter how concerned we are, no matter how sober our mood, nevertheless, a joke, a bit of playfulness, bursts forth from us. Believe me, Sol, I feel so depressed, worse than Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. Nevertheless, I yearn to joke again with other people. But, can such humor be real humor? Certainly not. It's all superficial. It's the same with you, Sol. You joke around in your letter, and nevertheless I discern the seriousness in your letter... During the first six months (of the year), you lost $1,600, and now you hope to regain that sum... Yes, devoted Sol, it was perhaps at these few words that your uncle paused the longest and reflected...just as you read a letter of mine and pause at a word of seriousness... There is much to write and to debate with respect to this, but I feel that it is unnecessary because neither of us is so stupid as not to understand what's now going on in the world, what sort of crisis is growing in the world, when one reads in the newspapers that America is dumping millions of bushels of grain in order to support prices on the world market at the same time that millions of people in America who don't have enough to make it through the day are starving. Tell me, is it possible for the human mind to grasp this? It's similar to the case of a provincial who enters a large city and sees all the activity, how fast the pace of life is. The streetcar is moving along, autos are speeding, electric lights, the attractively displayed shop windows. All of this makes such an impression on the provincial that he thinks that everyone is living a life of luxury. However, however, who knows better than we how much suffering, how much misery, how much need, how much poverty, exists in the big cities? In particular, devoted Sol, I have recently become quite familiar with the situation among the poor working class... As to your writing in your letter that you have aggravation from your father's dealings because strangers mix in who don't want to, and cannot, understand your point of view, yes, Sol, I also have moments in my home, with my family, when I beg like a child, "Have pity on me; understand me, and make a special effort to understand me, because I am speaking to you in simple Yiddish." And, nevertheless, either they don't want to, or they cannot, understand us. Do you know why, Sol? It's because we view the world with open, dispassionate eyes. We don't allow ourselves to be dazzled, deceived, talked into something, to be made a fool of, confused. We proceed on the basis of simple truth. We want to live in a completely above board manner. And again, as to your writing that you are prepared to reduce your expenses to $16 a week in order to remain in the same location, yes, Sol, that's a reflection of the times we are in. The only solution that people adopt is to reduce expenses so that they match income. As to the picture of your dear son that you sent me, I was really delighted. He is growing into a very nice child, with a a refined face. Comparing this picture to the previous picture when he was 21 months old, he looks much more grown-up and nice looking. May he only have enough good luck; then everything will be all right. My Joseph was promoted from the fifth to the sixth grade in elementary school this year. Next week, on the Sabbath of Consolation, he will be twelve years old. He is, may G-d be blessed, a fine youngster. Rifkele is the same, a fine youngster, but I can't send her to work because she is sickly. I really don't know what to do about her; for her to do nothing is not acceptable. At present, they are there in Opoczno. They send their regards to you. In every letter, they ask whether you have written. So, nothing more of importance to write to you about. I send my heartfelt and loving regards to you, devoted Sol, and to your wife and dear son. My wife, Aunt Malke, also sends her heartfelt regards. Also, special regards from Aunt Poria Lewin, the wife of Uncle Yankel Lewin, may he rest in peace. She lives here in Lodz in the same building that I live in. She stays with her son, Pinya Lewin, who has a job here. Further, the whole family sends regards to you. I also send regards to your father and your sisters. Let me know how Ruchele is feeling, whether she is well, what sort of work she is doing, and where she is living. With her father or somewhere else? How are Bryndl and her husband and her child? Is he working? Does he earn something? And how are your in-laws? Are they well? Are they making a living? How is their business doing? How are things there in general in face of the crisis? Here in Poland, it has reached a peak...it's said that it can't get any worse... With respect, Your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz Lipowa 44 Please reply promptly with a long letter with news about everyone and everything. The $5 arrived today. I thank you sincerely for it. From me, As above All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.