Lodz, 15 November 1936 To my dear and devoted brother, as well as nephew, and niece, I would very much like not to write you my current letter because you will surely have no pleasure from it... However, you surely know, Sol, that I conceal nothing from you, I hide nothing from you, because you are my only devoted brother and friend to whom I always pour out my heavy, bitter heart. Believe me that it is not with ink, but with tears, that I write you this mournful letter. I write you that for three weeks my household has been engulfed in tears... I surely wrote you in my recent letters that Aunt Malke is seriously ill, is in bed more than she is up and around. I had a great deal of trouble due to her illness; I greatly feared a catastrophe because the doctors didn't withhold anything from me. They told me openly that a catastrophe is unavoidable...and, nevertheless, I did not believe that the tragedy would occur so soon... Believe me, my hand trembles as I am about to write down the few words on paper - that Aunt Malke is no longer living. The catastrophe occurred three weeks ago. It was October 23. Friday evening, as always, I returned home from my hard work. We ate dinner, i.e., the evening meal. We were talking, chatting about a number of things and, although Aunt had not felt well recently because to her weak heart there had been added a kidney ailment and a liver ailment, nevertheless, lying in bed, she didn't feel as seriously ill as she was. Lying in bed, she nevertheless helped to prepare everything for the Sabbath, and while eating she said that she didn't feel well. I went down with Joseph to telephone for the First Aid. I ran for a doctor. It didn't take more than twenty minutes for two doctors to arrive. However, it was already too late. Friday evening, the 8th day of the month of Heshvan (October 23), at 9:00 p.m., her holy soul rose, and she departed from us forever... Just imagine, Sol, how broken up we all are now. Even though three weeks have already passed, neither I nor the children are able to comprehend the great calamity that has befallen us... I am not capable, Sol, of portraying with my pen what I have gone through recently with Aunt. G-d knows that I did everything I could. I tried by all means to keep her alive. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in rescuing her from death. Her holy soul rose at 48 years of age, leaving us behind, i.e., me and my two beloved children, in the middle of the sea, just like the captain of the ship who threw himself into the sea leaving the ship behind in the surging waves, without a pilot and without a rudder. The children and I are distraught, as it were. First of all, we are exhausted. Secondly, we are broken up over the great tragedy that has befallen all of us... Aunt Esther of Opoczno came especially for the funeral. She stayed here with me for four days. She even wanted to take Rivkele along with her for four weeks so she could recover a bit, but under no circumstances did Rivkele want to leave me, motivated by the fact that the calamity befell all three of us and she would under no circumstances leave her dearly beloved father. No matter how weak she might feel, she doesn't want to be far away from her father. My dear child, Joseph, made the same argument. I received your letter three weeks ago while I was sitting shiva. I am not able to write you an appropriate answer to your letter. As to your writing that I am to blame for not having registered Joseph during the last two years, I don't wish for my worst enemy to go through what I have gone through during recent years. If you were to look at me today, Sol, and see how I have aged during recent times, you would empathize with me... There will come a time when I will answer what you wrote, but right now I am not capable of giving you an answer. So, heartfelt regards for you and your wife and dear son Leonard, as well as for your dear sisters, Ruchel, Ruth and Bryndl, from me and from my dear children as well as from the whole family. With respect, Your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz Lodz, 15 November 1936 Dear and devoted Cousin Sol, I take this opportunity to let you know that I am well, thank G-d; I hope to hear the same from you forever. My father has already written you of the great tragedy that has befallen us. We have lost our dearly beloved, devoted mother. We are very broken up over the great tragedy. Our beloved mother has been torn away from us too soon; too soon have we been left as hapless orphans in G-d's world... Heartfelt regards to you and your dear family from me, your loving cousin, Yosef Lewkowicz Lodz, 15 November 1936 Devoted cousins, Deeply moved by the tragedy that has befallen us, I have lost my dear mother forever. I always regretted that you lost your blessed mother so soon and were left hapless orphans. Now we have the same experience. We have been orphaned too soon; too soon has our dear and devoted mother been torn away from us. We all feel broken up by the great sorrow and loss... Heartfelt regards for you, devoted cousin and family. I send regards to Ruchel, Bryndl and Ruth although I don't know them. Your sorrowful cousin, Regina Lewkowicz I ask you to forgive me because I do not write nicely. All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.