Opoczno, 17 July 1926 To my most beloved of all beloved, nephew and niece, S. and E. Zissman, We have received your letter and also your check for $200. It was on Friday just before the time for making the blessing over the candles and today, Saturday evening, my devoted one, I am answering your letter, although my steel pen is not capable of expressing in a letter what I would express with my mouth. And it's possible, devoted Sol, that you there in Chicago observe everything that occurs here in Opoczno to your uncle because your attitude and consideration of me give me the best guarantee that you are my only savior and friend in the world. No matter how much I would want to, and no matter how hard I would try, I am not able to convey my last move in the deal, i.e., just as a card player after he has already lost all his money and his watch and his savings, at the end, has a desire to play one more hand, and since he has no (money) with which to ante, he antes his wife. Why does he do it? After all, it's not logical...but sometimes logic leads to tragedy... It's the same with me, my devoted one. No matter how much you know and no matter how much your father-in-law has told you, I can add 200% more. Recently, until the death of my mother, may she rest in peace, my situation was very tragic. Even though your own father-in-law came to my home, perhaps he didn't detect all that was taking place in my home. Out in the street, we were still dressed half-way decently, in untorn clothing, but our stomachs paid the price at more than one daily meal and more than one Shabbas. At the very moment when Mr. Anker came to my home, I swear to you by my pen that I didn't have enough to buy a 1/2 kilogram of rolls for breakfast. It hurt me that a relative comes, the father (-in-law) of such a devoted nephew from such a great distance, and he doesn't eat breakfast at my house, but we have to go to a restaurant to eat... During the time that he was here, I saw that he wanted to do something for me; perhaps he didn't mean it so much for me as for you because, surely, you there gave him direct instructions: do, provide, help, etc. I myself was powerless as to what to do, how to provide. There were many reasons: worn out, weak, without ambition, debilitated, etc. Nevertheless, I felt that I still had one, and only one, friend in the world, a nephew who exerts all his strength there and wants to save and help with advice and action, and this alone gave me some courage and didn't permit me to go around confused... At the very moment that my sainted mother died, she spoke a few words about me and my circumstances to my devoted sister and brother-in-law...although my sister and my brother-in-law were always concerned about how to ease my need...but recently it assumed a more meaningful character... The whole seven days of mourning we constantly considered and thought about what, after all, to do about that shlemazel, Wolf. If you had been in your father (-in-law's) place in Poland, perhaps we would have been able to make a beginning. But, with your father-in-law, there wasn't an opportunity to do anything, and I had to go home to Lodz for Passover, and had to suffer again until now. But those close to me were not able to rest, i.e., my sister and brother-in-law wanted to carry out completely the will of my mother, may she rest in peace, and right after Passover I received a letter from Lazer that I should come to Opoczno for a business purpose. I went immediately and informed myself, although I didn't really understand how to approach an undertaking of $600, not having six cents of my own. On the contrary, I even had a deficit of $50-$60. But when I saw that my brother-in-law exerted all his effort and wanted to put me on my feet... When I write of my brother-in-law, dear Sol, I beg you to pay attention to what I write because I have other brothers-in-law, i.e., your father...my wife's brothers...with whom I have already had the honor to do business...no, irrespective of how complimentary your father- in-law was of my brother-in-law, even so he did not take stock of him thoroughly. He is a person with a refined character, whose nature it is to give his last piece of bread to another. He works very hard. The whole household works hard, so that a youngster of three years is already serving bread, helping out, etc. Measured by his work, he should be prosperous. Unfortunately, it isn't possible here. So, they don't live, they don't dress well, the children are not being raised well. Everything runs in the old fashioned way and according to the old tune. My sister works very hard, from 4:00 in the morning until midnight. In Opoczno, they are considered to be rich, but they are far from being rich. True, they make a living, but they're not wealthy. When I came to Opoczno and we started to negotiate the deal, my brother-in-law exerted all his efforts and put together $300. He put himself in such a tight spot that he didn't have a sack of flour left in the bakery. But what do we do about the second $300??? Not having an alternative, I wrote to you, my devoted nephew and child, i.e., I wagered on a card, sure that your money would turn up. And this is the way that we closed the deal. There were times when I was supposed to step out. There were times when Lazer himself was disgusted with the business since he was not able to come up with a solution for making the additional payment. However, as soon as I received your latest letter, I calmed my partners a bit in order that they might be a little more patient until, until... Truly, you have carried out your responsibility. You did not leave your uncle standing in the middle of the sea, but have thoroughly saved him for the time being. It's a little too early to write you all about the business, but I think, dear Sol, that here in the mill I will be able to make a living, although my life is not organized in one place. My family is in Lodz. My daughter, Rifchele, is ill, and I receive tearful letters from Lodz telling me to return. I eat and sleep at my devoted sister's and brother-in-law's who exerted so much of their effort in order to help me. For now, your money has saved me and put me to work. I have become more secure so that I have taken courage. And also your blessing, which you wished me and my brother-in-law, I have engraved in my memory. So, my devoted child, pardon me for my inept writing. I am very much in a hurry. I still have to make a business trip today to a small town for corn. I will write you a letter in the next few days, and my sister and brother-in-law will write you a letter and, at the same time, will thank you for your good heartedness which you demonstrated to me. May G-d repay you so that you will never be in need. So, I send heartfelt and loving regards to you and also your dear wife, Esther, and your parents. With respect, Wolf Lewkowicz My sister and brother-in-law, my wife and family send heartfelt regards to you all. Please answer promptly without waiting for a second letter. All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.