Lodz, 1 December 1935 To my dear and devoted brother, as well as nephew, and niece, S. Zissman, I received your dear letter three weeks ago! I also receive the newspapers regularly by mail. I thank you, dear Sol, for your writing, as well as for sending the newspapers. I also ask for your forgiveness for my making you wait for an answer this time. I didn't answer your dear letter for a variety of reasons. You know very well, Sol, that I don't like to make you wait for an answer, but this time I was so upset that I simply didn't know what world I was in... So, for example, Aunt Malke became ill with pneumonia four weeks ago, was in bed for four weeks and, thank G-d, it was only a matter of money. Now, thank G-d, she is better and she is, thank G-d, getting around. Also, as to Joseph, I have no small amount of problems. As you know, over a period of eight months, I had him trained in the hosiery trade. It even cost me some money in order for him to learn the trade as quickly as possible. And he really learned it quickly, so that he would already be able to earn something right now. It turns out that a law exists in Poland according to which the labor inspector does not allow a boy under eighteen years of age to work, and since he is in any event less than sixteen years old, he has to wait another two and one-half years until he is eighteen. If there were enough work so that there was no unemployment, perhaps he would be able to work illegally. However, since there is no work, he hangs around and does nothing. That's the way it is when there's no luck...when one hopes that life will become easier, it becomes more difficult from day to day. Now, concerning me myself, dear Sol, I also have no happy news to convey. I haven't been feeling good recently. I have had a pain in my head for about two months already due to which I experience severe headaches. The pain is so great that, from time to time, I have to stop working. It's impossible to work with such severe pain... I have already been to two doctors and both determined that I have arthritis of the head. When I remarked to them that it runs in our family for everyone to have problems with their heads, the doctor responded that the illness is a chronic one and not a very pleasant one. Well, Sol, what do you say about such a surprise? The illness had no one else to choose, so it selected me... All of this taken together didn't give me the opportunity to answer your dear letter. I thank you, dear Sol, for writing and for informing me about your new undertaking. Even though you shared with me all the details about your store-partnership-business, etc., nevertheless, dear Sol, I would have liked to see with my own eyes all the undertakings which you make in your life. According to what you write, I see that your head is not working badly. You just need more luck, and this happens to be lacking in our family. Dear Sol, I wish you much good fortune in your new venture. May G-d grant you blessing and success... Further, as to your writing me that your partner is Greek, it makes no difference what his nationality is. The important thing is that he be a mensch and understands what business is. By chance, I have had many occasions in my life to speak to Greeks. There are several hundred Greeks in Lodz. For the most part, they deal in shoes and house slippers. They also have a number of bakeries in Lodz. I also know a Greek who is a big businessman dealing with citrons, lemons, etc. The Greek people are very intelligent. Culturally, they are on a par with other European peoples. They have an admirable history. There is less anti-semitism experienced among them in Greece than in other European countries. I am pleased with your new undertaking. I believe that you set it up according to the latest standards. You will surely do well in winter. I should have written to you immediately. However, since you yourself are still a beginner and don't yet know how to make a judgment as to whether the business is a good one or, chas v'cholilah, a bad one, so I ask you (to write me about it) in the new year, 1936, when you will more or less know how the business is doing. So, heartfelt regards for you, your worthy wife and dear son, Leonard. Regards also to your father, sisters, in-laws, et al. My wife sends heartfelt regards to you. My daughter, Regina, and son, Joseph, also send their heartfelt and loving regards. Aunt Esther and Uncle Eliezer send heartfelt regards. With respect, Your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz Regards to your partners. Please (send me) a prompt answer about everything and about everyone. My cousin, Sarah Chmielnicki, Aunt Dina Raisel's daughter, of Lodz, sends regards to your father as well as to you and your family. She's leaving for the Land of Israel two weeks from now. I am enclosing a newspaper article as well as a post card that I received today from Opoczno. Read them (and) you'll see that anti-semitism is so great that it's occurred even in Opoczno. From me, as above. All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.