Lodz, 12 December 1933 To my dear and devoted brother, as well as nephew, Sol Zissman, I have received all the newspapers you sent me as well as the notes that were enclosed!!! I thank you, my devoted one, for writing and also for taking the trouble to send me the newspapers on a regular basis. I have already pointed out to you that I may be taking up too much (of your) time and energy. If so, I don't want you to give me so much time and energy... I know very well that this is the height of your season, and you have to take care of your stoves. You also write that you have gone into business with a new partner, that you have opened a new store. So, I hope that it will be with good fortune and success. It would be better for you to tend to, and devote yourself to, your business. Your uncle will be satisfied to receive the newspapers on a delayed basis, as long as I hear that you are busy. Further, my devoted one, I thank you for encouraging me (by writing) that my help will eventually come through my Joseph...although, dear Sol, I dislike placing hope on such fantasies and illusions...because this is a period when we can't figure out what tomorrow will bring...it's even harder to figure out what may be years away. In any event, my devoted and dear brother, I thank you for your encouraging me. It really relieves me to read a letter of yours that is filled and saturated with a great deal of love for me and for all of us. It's really a shame, devoted brother, that the Atlantic Ocean separates us from one another and that we have to be so far apart. Imagine, Sol, how happy I would be if I had close to me such a devoted brother as you are!!! It appears that fate requires us to be far apart and to be satisfied with friendly letters. When you raised the question of my Joseph with me, I can tell you that you really began to expose a wound on my head, on my body. The question is a very delicate question. I have more than once wanted to ask you for advice about my child. Yes, Sol, one's heart becomes sad and somber when a father sees that his child is struggling toward the light, toward an education; however, however, the parents' circumstances don't permit it... It's really very difficult for a father when he understands how a child should be reared and educated but, unfortunately, has to abandon rearing a child as a Jew and as a mensch due to economic circumstances. I believe that a father who brings a child into the world and has no possibility of raising him as a mensch is more guilty than the child himself. What sort of complaint can I make of my Joseph? He started elementary school when he was eight (sic) years old. Every year he is promoted to a higher class. He is now in the seventh grade. He is thirteen years old. I am more than certain that by August, i.e., by vacation time, he will have finished elementary school. Now the question is, "What next?" We don't have a high school as you do there. However, if I were to want to send him to a private secondary school, it involves money. Then again, to send him to a trade school also costs a lot. Then, as to learning a trade privately, first of all I don't know what sort of trade is good these days in order to make a living. Secondly, a youngster like this is exploited and taken advantage of. They don't want to accept anyone for less than three years of training; after that, he can receive some pay. During the three-year period, I have to provide him with board, clothing and shoes. I had thought about having him learn a seasonal trade, e.g., gloves or berets. This might be easy for me to accomplish because among my acquaintances and friends are some who work at gloves and berets. I assume, Sol, that you understand what I mean by the word "berets." This is a sort of round hat for the head that is worn by school children, chauffers, girls and boys. In fact, there is talk about America having bought a million of such berets in Poland. The cost here is about ten to fifteen cents a piece. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to send (some) to America. If so, I would be able to send you a collection of various sizes. However, you will surely reject this idea, thinking to yourself there, "What sort of nonsense is Uncle Wolf writing, about business, about berets, gloves, when, after all, I am a furniture man?" So I write to you, Sol, that I read in the newspapers that America is buying a variety of items in Poland these days. Unwilling to hold on to dollars, individuals secure their capital (by converting it) to merchandise. You may remember, Sol, that I wrote to you four months ago and cautioned you to be on guard because when there is a drop in the value of money, merchandise must increase in value. Even though the dollar has depreciated in value by 90% (sic) here, i.e., from 9 gulden to 5.40, I don't believe that merchandise there by you has increased in value by 90%. However, according to what I read in the newspapers, you have a sort of recovery there. One can't say that your President has made the situation worse through the enactment of the N.R.A. law. It's just difficult to solve this sort of international issue in one fell swoop. And ten million unemployed are not like ten people. That sort of "army" needs $10,000,000 a day to eat. However, whatever the case may be, your President Roosevelt deserves to be congratulated for the experiments he has undertaken in order to ease the unemployment situation in the country. You see, Sol, here the worker is still enslaved, just as if he lived in the Middle Ages, not in the 20th Century. Unfortunately, I am a member of the working class. But it's better not to talk and not to write about how the working situation looks here (or) what kind of wages a worker earns here. I'm not even discussing clothing or a place to live. And in addition to all these wonderful things, we work only three or four days a week, and we eat seven days a week. Is it any wonder that things look as they do??? Well, devoted Sol, I think that will be enough of politics. As to your writing me that my brother-in-law, Berish, was in Chicago and that you don't know for what purpose he was in Chicago, I can write you that I also don't know because we haven't written letters to each other in years. Except for my mother-in-law, I never receive a letter from them. I have no idea how they are doing there. I am also not aware of Berish having an uncle in Chicago... My best guess is that he came to Chicago to see the Fair because, as I remember the map, it seems to me that it's not far from Welland to Chicago. To go on, thank you for having called Chaiml Marianka and for urging him to write a letter home to his mother. I informed Chaiml Marianka's mother in Kinsk of your letter. She has certainly received a letter from him by now. Further, what else shall I write to you? At present, there is no important news here. My wife and I are well, may G-d be blessed. Our Rivkele and Joseph (are the same), thank G-d. Rivkele is learning a trade as a seamstress. She is not earning anything yet. Also, she is not developed physically. Further, there is no important news in the whole family. Recently, I have not received happy letters from Aunt Esther of Opoczno. So, for example, she has problems with her head, and they are not earning much of a living. Further, I can inform you that for the last two weeks, we have had not inconsiderable periods of cold weather in Poland. The thermometer reads 18 degrees below zero Celsius today. How is the weather there??? Nothing more of importance to relate. Heartfelt regards to you and your worthy wife and your dear son from me, my wife and dear children. Special regards to your dear sister, Ruchele. How is she feeling? Is she working? Does she still remember me? Does she visit you often? Does she think about getting married some day? Does the state of her health permit her to marry??? Does your father visit you often? How is he feeling and what sort of living is he making? Does he ever ask about me? How are Bryndl and her family? Are they well? Are they making a living? How is Rifchele? Is she working somewhere? Where and what does she do? How is your wife doing? Is she well? And your son, Leonard, must be a fine young boy already. I am anxious to hear good news about everyone and everything. I sign, with respect. Your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz Lodz, 12 December 1933 My best cousin, At this good opportunity, I send you heartfelt regards. I read your letters, dear cousin, with great joy. I thank you for interesting yourself in my future fate although my youthful common sense cannot grasp what the result will be for me. Nevertheless, I am happy to read your letters about a cousin of mine whom I don't even know personally who is so interested in my future career. Let's leave all this for the future to determine. Right now, be well and accept heartfelt regards from me and from my sister. Also, loving regards for your whole family, especially for your wife and dear son, Leonard. Today is Chanukah. Do you still remember Chanukah when you were young? Look and remember (when you were a child). (Drawing of a crown...The people of Israel lives.) (Drawing of a factory...America.) Your cousin, Joseph Lewkowicz All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.