Lodz, 20 July 1924 Most beloved and most devoted nephew, worthily named Sol, I have received your devoted and clever letter, and I thank you for your good writing as well as for the nice things you say about me. Dear child, I read your deeply-thought-out letters with their rich content and their dear and ardent expressions over and over again, and I think that I and no one else knows how to appreciate your letters and your writ- ing. When I take a letter of yours in hand, I don't tire of reading it--no, I devour the words and am satiated by them for a long time, until another letter arrives. Therefore, my most beloved (nephew), I wish that I could receive letters from you more often, so that I would be satiated more often. Now, my dear child, you write that you still hope to see me and that you dream that you will find me having worked my way up to something. What can I reply to that? I can only answer "Be thou a blessing." Both of us feel lonely. Both of us strive toward the same goal. Each of us wants to help the other and we both hope to see each other one more time. You understand of course, Shloymele, that it is impossible to know anything regarding the last point, since with G-d everything is possible. One can't exclude the possibility that you as an American citizen, as a young person with a lifetime desire, with your young wife, should want, one fine spring, to take a pleasure trip to Europe. I always dream and hope for this. May my dreams be realized one day. Dear and devoted child, I can imagine the day when I have the honor to see you and your beloved wife before my eyes. It will be the happiest day of my whole life. You asked me what kind of an impression the money you sent me made on my in-laws and on my brothers-in-law. I can only say this much: you should know, my dear child, that there are certain things which are interdependent on one another. If two (interdependent) forces emerge at the same time, it is good, and the world and its people benefit from it. On the other hand, if these forces are not interdependent, but remain separate and hanging in the air, neither the world nor its people can derive any pleasure from them. Here the forces are called parents...or good parents. Friends...a good friend. A brother-in-law...a good brother-in-law. A bride...a rare, good, and refined (bride), etc. An apartment...a very good apartment. A house...a very pretty and good house. A garden...a very nice and fruitful garden. A child...a very bright and good child, and so on and so forth. Now, my dear (nephew), when you remove all of the dependent words (the adjectives), how will the remaining (nouns) sound? Quite common, right? I wrote you once before and I am writing you again that I do not really regret that I have "lost," that I haven't been fortunate enough to be rich, and so forth. I only regret that I didn't lose in better com- pany. (I regret) the kind of people on whom I had to depend for a year and a half, and the kind of people to whom I lost my health and strength over time. You ask what kind of impression it made on them. Do you think that I am, G-d forbid, such a poor friend to them as they are to me? First of all, as a person with a consci- ence, I must evaluate them as parents, but not (necessarily) as good parents. They raised a daughter for me. What would I have done if they hadn't given me their daughter? Shloyme, answer. It would really not have been good. The brothers-in-law I consider, quite simply, inhuman! I have only one brother-in-law, Lazer, whom I consider a human being. You also know well about your father, my former brother-in-law, and of our former relationship. Neverthe- less, a brother-in-law who calls himself a brother-in-law and in his heart is worse than a stranger, worse than a Tartar...what kind of a name can I give someone like that? I can't even be grateful to him for giving me his sister, since my wife is quite compromised by her brothers. At best, I dislike talking overly much about non-humans. I haven't even spoken to my brothers-in-law for over five months. When they heard that you sent me money for an apartment, they looked for an opportunity to turn the wheel (of time) backword. But it was too late. My in-laws really didn't like our moving out since, let us not kid ourselves, their sole purpose in getting me to move in with them was to secure their existence. They are, after all, older people. They have only one daughter. Who would have dreamed it would be such hell, so impossible to get along with them, always quarrels, curses and imprecations. After Passover, when they realized that the situation was becoming more serious, that they were going to lose every- thing, such as a servant, a laundress, cheerfulness, and rent and the children, whom they had come to know as the time passed, their hearts became a bit heavy and they woke up from their "sleep." Now they regret their poor treatment of us. (I understand that) my wife is also a daughter. I can't interfere with her affection for her parents lest she come to dislike me. But as for me, I have, to begin with, nearer and better people to love than they are. And the wounds which they made in my heart will not heal for a long, a very long, time. My home is open to everyone. Anyone can come visit me, and I consider everyone objectively. On the other hand, they can wait a long, long time, and I won't come to visit them. To continue, dear child, about your asking me to write you concerning my health, my livelihood, etc...I am writing you and have already written you once before that my most recent business is loans, that is, paying for whatever someone wants. You will probably think that I have become quite a big shot. "It's no small matter...(you will think); prob- ably needs thousands of millions. I can inform you, dear child, that I have less than your expenses are every week, and I wish that I had the differ- ence, at least until the new year. But if one wheels and deals and continues to do so.... Now things are like this: one borrows to pay off a debt, since he has no more money, and I borrow from someone else to give to the one who wants to borrow from me. I borrow it for four to six weeks, and I lend it for ten weeks, at someone else's convenience, (to be paid off) in weekly installments. For example, if someone were to buy half a bolt of linen for fifty million marks, he would pay me five million a week. The problem is, however, that the factories are closed and the workers can't pay, and the wealthy don't bother with loans. Things are very bad here in Poland these days, because of the problem of stabilization of money. There are many ban- kruptcies and suicides. People have realized that their fortunes of millions and thousands of millions are nothing more than a dream. Now, everyone has only a few zlotys and a few pennies. For my part, I am happy with the present situation. May G-d help things to improve and the factories to operate and things will be better than before. It was really impossible for things to continue as they were going. We hope that products will become less expensive and that things will be normalized. Immigration to Palestine is not yet closed, but quite a few people will have to give up their priorities. Further, I can let you know that I am very pleased with my new apartment. May G-d only help me to good health and a good livelihood. I have only now opened my eyes and, for the first time, feel like a human being. Concerning wealth, I have already written you that I am not rich and don't pos- sess (even) $25 of my own. Economically, however, I am in much better shape than I was this (past) winter in many respects. For example, this winter I was dependent on some- one else; I was beholden to strangers; I lived with my in- laws, and many other things. Today, praise G-d, I am independent. I do whatever I please. I live under human conditions. My children study with a tutor, and I am satisfied with my earnings. If I earn enough to buy meat, we have meat. If I (only) earn enough for potatoes, we eat potatoes. In my heart, I feel that I am rich, (as it says in the Biblical passage,) "Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot!" I am becoming a good husband, a good father, and I hope in time to become a good son-in-law and a good brother-in-law. I can only pray to G-d that I may not be shamed, and that I may earn enough for my needs. My oldest daughter, Balcia, became twelve years old. Rivche is ten. Joseph is four. They all need clothes and shoes. There is no end to it. May G-d help me so that I may be able to raise them as I understand to be right. My wife, Malke, is not completely well. She has an ailment and sees the doctor often. May G-d help her to be cured. It is, G-d forbid, not a very serious ailment. Of Opoczno, I can tell you that your grandmother is well, thank G-d. She is already up in years, and your lively, cheery letters cheer her up a bit. Lazer is still baking bread, rolls, challas. And Esther, your aunt, is delighted with your letters, and, above all, with your sharp witti- cisms. Write them such letters often. What else can I write you? I have nothing good to write about Lodz. Uncle Emanuel Lewin has been out of work now for six months. Uncle Yankl, Dina Raizl's (husband) also wanders around aimlessly staring at the sky. Aunt Chaya Rifke in Konskie and Uncle Yankl Lewin are "all right." Also in Konskie, Aunt Breindel, a widow, is dying of hunger, and the family is unconcerned. Shmiel Lewin wants to become engaged. Perhaps you have a bride for him? It doesn't matter if she's lame or mute, as long as she has a lot of money. Wolf Lewin is serving in the army. Pinya Lewin has gone to Palestine. Shmiel Zilberspitz got married to a girl from Tomaszow and will probably be making a bris soon. There is nothing else of import to report. Heartfelt and loving greetings from me, your devoted uncle, who hopes to see you once again. Wolf Lewkowicz I also send heartfelt regards to your worthy fiancee, as well as to your worthy future in-laws, the Ankers. My worthy wife, your aunt, sends you and your worthy fiancee and family warm and loving regards. She also thanks you for the greetings that you sent her. She hopes for a visit from you, so that you may return her kisses. My children send heartfelt regards to you and all your friends and family. Heartfelt regards to your father and his family. Write me how business is going and so on and so forth. I am enclosing a picture postcard, which I happened to see in a (shop) window, which you can use to send to your fiancee. Your dear grandmother, Lazer, Esther, and all of your friends and family send you and your friends heartfelt regards. From me, your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz My present address is: Wolf Lewkowicz Lipowa 44, no. 11 Lodz, Poland All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.