Lodz, 1 July 1929

My beloved and precious nephew,

I am letting you know that two letters to you are en route, and
now I am writing you a third letter.  I am letting you know that
your Aunt Esther has been in Lodz for eight days already.  She
came here for medical help.  The doctors have all decided that
she became ill because of fright, because she thought that they
would close down the bakery permanently.  However, as you
already know, they closed down six bakeries, and they permitted
Uncle Lazer to remain open.  It turned out to be just a matter
of money and fright.  It seems to me that the illness is not
serious, but the doctors immediately instructed her to go away
for a rest for six weeks because her nerves are strained and she
has a heart problem.  I myself have not been feeling well lately
because...

(Either one or more pages of this letter are missing or Wolf
broke off writing in mid-sentence in order to permit his sister
to write.)

To my dear nephew and niece,

First of all, I will let you know that we are well.  May G-d
grant that you are also well.  Now, dear Shloymele, I apologize
for not writing.  Now, I congratulate you on your newly born
son.  May he have brought with him much good fortune and luck
for you and for the whole family.  

Now, you will certainly want to know what happened that caused
me not to write to you for such a long time.  So, as you enjoy
guessing, you still have a chance to make a guess there.  If one
gives, one is important.  If one doesn't give, it's as if one
didn't exist.  That's the way Polish families are.  But don't
make a mistake.  Your aunt and your Uncle Lazer are not the sort
of people who require that a third party should work and give
(what he has) to us.  One can ask,  "Why then write to Shloymele
for money?"  There is an old proverb that if the situation is
critical and the patient is in a coma, one seeks the outstanding
specialist in order to save the patient...  What does our
beloved G-d do in a case in which the patient can't afford a
specialist?  He has to get well without one...  That's the way
it was when they closed down six bakeries and mine, thank G-d,
remains open.  How it happened and the sort of scare we had, I
can't describe.  I have a lot to write, but I don't have any
patience.

You will surely wonder, my dear Shloymele, at a letter from
Lodz.  I don't want to sadden you, but I must write that I
became ill due to the sanitary commissions.  I became ill due to
fright.  I have been in Lodz for eight days already, and I go to
a different doctor every day.  Uncle (Wolf) will explain
everything to you.  I have no more patience to write.  When I
feel better, I will write you a long letter.  

Be well and kissed from the depths of my heart.  From me, your
unforgotten aunt, Esther Chmielnicki.  Heartfelt regards for my
dear niece.  Loving regards for your dear son.  Heartfelt
regards for Bryndele, her husband and son.  Heartfelt regards
for Rifchele and Ruchele.  From me, your unforgotten aunt who
hopes to write letters with better news.

		Esther Chmielnicki 

_________________________________________________________________
___

Anything new respecting my Balcia going to Canada?  Write
whether anything has happened or everything is at a standstill. 
I am waiting impatiently for a letter from you and from Canada. 
Regards for all and from all.

		From me, as above  


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