Opoczno, 22 March 1928 To our dearest and most precious brother, as well as nephew, You will surely be surprised, my devoted one, at a letter from Opoczno in Uncle Wolf's handwriting. So, I write to you, dear Sol, that today, the eve of the new month of Nisan, we mark the anniversary of the death of our mother, may she rest in peace. In fact, we have just returned from the cemetery where we unburdened our hearts a bit. I stood by the grave, said a few words in Yiddish, looked at the stone; and the image of my mother, may she rest in peace, is in front of my eyes. She was truly a warm-hearted mother, loved her children too much, didn't permit them to go elsewhere in the world...always shared of her substance with her children. And now she lies here helpless, powerless, wanting to help but unable to... My heart becomes numb. My sister lying on the grave sobs and pleads. We do not forget to recall all of you. The words utter from our mouths of their own volition as if the air squeezed them out... Yet, our mother, may she rest in peace, did not find it necessary to respond with a comforting word to all this weeping, pleading and conversation... Nevertheless, we left the cemetery somewhat relieved. We felt somewhat unburdened having spoken out, cried out; and we are no longer choked up. Yes, it is a natural thing for a person to feel a compulsion to unburden his heart to someone else. And so, dear Sol, since all of us, i.e., you, I and your aunt realize that we are orphans, alone, we feel an obligation to tell our mothers, may they rest in peace, whether they do something for us or not. In any event, we do what is ours to do. Further, dear Sol, you ask my sister how Bruchele is feeling! So, I write you that I have brought her with me to Opoczno. She was in the hospital for twelve weeks. Thank G-d, she is much better, but not yet fully recovered. She is still taking medicine and is to receive another thirty injections. I hope that she will be fine in a short time. Thank G-d that it turned out to be only a matter of the expense! Further, my dear and devoted Sol, you will surely ask why Uncle Lazer or Aunt Estherl doesn't answer your letter. So, I will write to you of the circumstances under which an answer should be sent to you. Ordinarily, my sister would want you to write even longer letters to her because she is made very happy by your letters. A robber...send an answer, and the other person will send a reply, and there will be a series of letters. The excuse is that a baker has no time. Uncle Lazer bakes at night so he is tired during the day, and if he starts to write, he dozes off in midstream. So, Aunt (Estherl) has mercy on him and tells him to go to sleep. On the other hand, your aunt is...what else do you want her to be...wife, mother, cook, nurturer, purchaser and salesperson, so that there are not fifteen minutes during the day to answer a devoted nephew. So, for example, she said to me yesterday that if she doesn't go to the marketplace today to sell the 150 old breads that have already lain here for five days, they will continue to lie here until after Passover...because Jews enjoy fresh bread and the peasants have to eat old bread at the same price... That's the way it goes. At the same time, dear Sol, people in Opoczno are jealous of my sister. Is it a small thing? Almost the entire town is going hungry and Lazar the baker has full shelves of old bread and rolls. But go try and make a balance sheet for them and demonstrate for them what sort of sweaty and laborious groschen a baker earns. Their way of life is still so chaotic that if you want to know of it accurately, ask your father-in-law. He will describe for you what an Opoczno bakery looks like and the sort of hard labor it requires... In any event, devoted Sol, forgive your aunt and uncle for not answering you because they are certain that you will be as satisfied with my writing to you as you would be if they wrote this letter to you. So, Sol, be content for now with a letter of mine on their behalf and, if G-d wills it, on the first of the intermediate days of Passover, Uncle Lazer and Aunt Estherl will write you a long letter. They will have more time then. I have already related the most important news concerning them. In any event, you cheered us with your letter that you are figuring to come for a vacation this year. So, my devoted and dear one, we pray to G-d that he may bless all your undertakings so that you will remain a man of your word. May your coming at least be a consolation for us for our having lost such a devoted sister, may she rest in peace, at such an early age. May we at the very least see before our eyes the fruit of such a young felled tree that was cut down because of, only G-d knows, what sort of sin... May we, once and for all, hear from your mouth what compelled your mother, may she rest in peace, to depart from you and from the whole world... And perhaps, Sol, your mother, may she rest in peace, even took this secret with her to the grave??? However, Shloyme, be strong, don't cry, because I recognize that I have put a little too much of a strain on you with my memories. It's no wonder. I have just returned from the cemetery, soaked with the air of... I have chattered enough about the departed ones. Now we will turn to more important things. How is business going for you, Sol? Here in Opoczno, the sun has finally come out and we see in the street broken beds, straw, colorless junks, chalk-covered chests. Women are running around helter-skelter. One is scraping a noodle board in honor of Passover. A second is running with a brush in her hand. A third is already carrying matzoh covered with a white pillowcase. In a word, we can see that the beloved, pure, kosher Passover is coming in which all the slovenly-dressed women two weeks from today will be queens and their husbands kings. And how are you there with your Malke (queen)? After all, I understand that you have an (Esther) Malke there all year long. Surely, on Passover you will remember that you are a king and have a right to order whatever your heart desires... However, remember this only on the two seder evenings...because afterwards your orders won't help and your Malke has the choice of not being obedient. However, this all depends on how a couple arranges it... My devoted one, I have chattered enough already, so I end my letter. We wish you a kosher and a happy holiday. I close my writing with heartfelt regards and leave the rest of the space for my sister to finish. Regards for Ruchele, Bryndele and Rifchele, your father, in-laws, and for dear Esther. Your uncle, Wolf Lewkowicz I, your uncle, send regards to you and also to your dear Esther. I will have to be satisfied with just regards because it's a holiday week. During the intermediate days, I will write you a special letter in answer to your letter. Your uncle, Eliezer Chmielnicki My children send you all heartfelt regards. A good Sabbath. Heartfelt regards for my devoted nephew and niece. I wish you a happy holiday. I would write you more, but since it is Friday afternoon, it is not possible. I beg your forgiveness. It is not pleasant at all (but) such a devoted nephew with such a character as you have, who knows everything, I am confident that you will not be insulted because I do not answer you. Our hearts know each other. I send heartfelt regards to Ruchele, Bryndele, her husband and her son; I send heartfelt regards to Rifchele. (Aunt Estherl) Dear Cousin Shloyme, You criticize us for running around, for not going to Hebrew School, the Rabbi twists our ear, etc. So, I write you, first of all, that I wrote to you and you didn't answer. Second, we study in school and in Hebrew School so that no time is left for us to fool around. Third, if you, my dear cousin, didn't write, we didn't answer. If, now, you will write, we will always answer. In particular, during the intermediate days (of Passover) we will write a long letter with photographs of all the brothers and sisters, and so on. We send best regards to you and your dear wife and sisters. With respect, Moshe and Wowche Chmielnicki Stay well. Tomorrow morning, with the help of G-d, I am going back to Lodz where I hope to find a letter in response to a letter of mine from Lodz. With respect, (Wolf) All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.