Lodz, 14 October 1928  

My devoted, beloved brother, as well as precious nephew, 

 and beloved niece, S. and E. Zissman,  

I received your long letter written on the eve of Yom Kippur the
day before yesterday, and I am writing  you an immediate answer
to it today.  Even though your letter disturbed me a little, I
don't tire of reading it since you write in such a thoroughly
sensible manner.  I have already read your last letter tens of
times, and every word that you express there is really a pearl. 
I don't know if there is anyone else who can appreciate your
letters as I can.  To your question as to whether we go to Kol
Nidre with the same fear that we did fifteen years ago, I can
write, my devoted one, "No."  It has decreased by 50%.  The
handful of young people don't want to pray at all.  The only
ones who pray are the middle class, the poor and the aged!  As
far as that's concerned, Sol, I've heard that the Master of the
Universe is not a bankrupt.  

Further, my devoted one, as to your writing that you are
corresponding with Berish and can't come to an understanding
with them, I believe you.  If, after all, I have not been able
to arrive at an understanding with them after twenty years, how
can you hope to achieve it after so short a time?  Particularly
when what's under discussion involves their putting a hand in
their pockets...  Dear and devoted Sol, there's much to write
about this, and it's impossible for us to communicate fully on
paper.  In fact, Aunt Malke has become weary and has completely
ceased to correspond with them.  They brought their parents
there, and also don't conduct themselves as children should
conduct themselves toward parents, but, but...  

You should know, Sol, if I believed that they want to do
something for me, I would send a torrent of letters.  However, I
recognize with whom I am dealing. From one letter of theirs to
another, there's a distance of thousands of miles.  So, for
example, they once wrote that they had paid for a permit and
that it won't be long before we rejoice together.  In another
letter, they wrote that you, Sol, won't be able to take us out,
even in ten years, without their assistance.  In a third letter,
they wrote that they are poor; they can't do anything; every
(entry) is closed!  Recently, I haven't received any letters
from them, and I don't write either.  We only receive a letter
from the old folks once in two months.  Their writing is of no
significance since they can't be helpful to us in any way.  

So, dear and devoted Sol, no one can understand our loyalty as
well as both of us can.  I see that you always stand at the
ready and want to establish your uncle on firmer ground than he
stands on today.  However, as you yourself write, unfortunately
your soldiers smelled the gunpowder and left you to do battle
alone!!!  You know very well, Sol, that I was never very anxious
to go to them in Canada.  To the contrary, if an opportunity
arose to go to you, I would fly.  However, I know that these are
only fantasies.  America won't be open for immigration very
soon.  I am not the only one who wants to get out of Poland. 
There are tens of thousands.  I don't know the conditions there,
either in Canada or America.  I know only one thing.  As long as
a person is still young and things are not going well for
him...he has to make a change in his life.  As our Torah says,
"A change in location brings about a change in luck."  Yet, I
haven't been passive since, over the last twenty years, I have
lived in Lodz, in Kinsk, again in Lodz, again in Kinsk, then
Opoczno and now again in Lodz!  Do you think, Sol, that I became
twenty yesterday?  You know that I am 42 years old already. 
Tired, weak and exhausted, without strength.  The main thing is
that energy is lacking.  Furthermore, I consider myself, as
my...(wife) calls me, a schlimazel, a ne'er-do-well, a good for
nothing lazy bum...  After all, I see that what I am called is
true, because if it weren't true I would have been gone long
ago.  The people who succeeded in escaping from Poland obviously
have more energy or more luck than I do...  In any event, Sol,
what is there to do with a person who has no luck???   

My impression, Sol, is that all your work and effort to help us
is useless.  First of all, it would cost a sum of money that I
will not and dare not ask of you, no matter how rich you are. 
Secondly, I have no desire to go to my brothers-in-law.  Third,
if I leave, I would like to leave with the whole family,  once
and for all, and let there be an end to it.  And fourth, I
already lack the courage and energy.  I am now prepared to live
out my remaining years this way here in Lodz.  I now realize
that I am not going to accomplish anything because it is decreed
in heaven that I am to be tormented my whole life.  I become
prematurely gray when I look about and see the children growing
up.  I haven't been able to give them the proper upbringing.  I
thought that I would still succeed in fleeing to another country
where it's really not so difficult when one is arranging a
marriage for a child.  If one has educated children, it's
possible to make the match without a dowry.  However, as it is,
it's very difficult with us.  The situation before the war was
also difficult, and now it has become worse by hundreds of
percent.  A young man, a tailor, a shoemaker or a weaver demands
$800 to $1,000 these days, with a furnished apartment.  If not,
he won't get married.  Shmiel Lewin is already 32 years old, has
made a match for $1,200 and is "striking."  He doesn't want to
get married.  To speak plainly, young men are afraid that they
will not be able to make a living.  The expenses are great;
earnings are small; there is a critical shortage of apartments. 
In a word, Sol, it's no picnic around here!  

Believe me, Sol, that my plan was not ill conceived.  I figured
that it's so bad here that it can't be any worse.  There is no
existence.  My Balcia works hard and earns $2.50 a week and
begrudges herself a ride on a streetcar; instead, she walks. 
And we help to eat up her wages.  She will be eighteen years old
this Passover, and when I consider, Sol, that I will have to
arrange a match for her and, chas v'cholilah, will have to ask
for someone's help, my heart aches enough.  

Therefore, my devoted one, I wanted to go somewhere else in the
world.  I wanted to help myself in a different situation, in
another country.  Unfortunately, however, I have to moan when I
hear the sort of colossal sum that's involved, that it would
have to cost you $1,000, that I would be separated from my wife
and children for several years, that I would have to struggle
and suffer until at long last I would prosper there.  

So, my devoted and precious one, I would prefer to accept the
suffering and torment to the extent that I can bear it because I
know very well that you are not so rich that you are able to
provide your uncle with thousands of dollars.  And even if you
were, I don't require anything of you.  I am content.  I am
happy to hear that my brother is interested and always stands at
the ready to help when his uncle is in need of help.  

Dear Sol, I attached great importance to your coming because if
you were here on the spot and familiarized yourself here with
the situation, perhaps we would be able to put something
together.  However, since it turned out differently, may it be
so with good fortune.  Write me how your wife is feeling and how
business is.  Surely, this is the height of the election
campaign.  While it makes no great difference to me who will be
elected there, Smith or Hoover, you certainly won't be elected,
Sol.  Therefore, concentrate on doing a good business.  Tell
your customers that if they don't buy furniture from you now,
before the elections, you won't sell to them afterwards...  

Sol, since I have already written such a long letter to you and
told you of everything that makes my heart ache, I would now
like, my devoted one, to hear your opinion.  I ask you, Sol,
speak up.  Perhaps you are smart enough to find a way to ease
your uncle's life, but without help from anyone.  For example,
several times I wanted to learn a trade, e.g., hosiery or
sweaters or gloves.  However, this involves time, money and
machinery.  I also don't know if I will have the patience to sit
at a machine twelve hours a day.  But trouble makes us become
accustomed to everything...  If I should decide to do this, I
would like to know the price of an American sweater machine and
a tricot machine for gloves.  How much do they cost there by
you?  

Further, I write you, Sol, that two letters are on their way to
you, one in which I enclosed a remembrance of your mother, may
she rest in peace and a second letter from Opoczno with an
addition by my sister.  I ask you, Sol, not to make me wait for
an answer.  Rather, write me the truth about how you're feeling
and what's happening with the business, how your sisters are
feeling, how your father and in-laws are, and so on.  

So, I close my letter with heartfelt regards to you and your
wife.  Heartfelt regards to your sisters, parents, family, et
al.  My wife, your Aunt Malke, sends heartfelt regards to you
and those close to you.  Regards to you also from Balcia,
Rifkele and Joseph.  The family, such as Uncle Emanuel, Aunt
Dina Raisel, ask me to send regards from them and their
children.  With respect,                               

        Your brother, as well as uncle,

        Wolf Lewkowicz

        Lipowa 44                           

        Lodz, Poland            

Let me know whether you saw the arrival of the German zeppelin. 
Today, there is a general strike here in Lodz.  On strike are
the streetcars, the telephone, the gas company, the electric
company and 150,000 textile workers.  This has already gone on
for two weeks, but it took on a more serious character today. 
It's as if the city were dead.  There is concern about riots! 
It also results in my loss of a few zlotys.  My wife is not
interested in it.  She continues to require money, doctors,
prescriptions, etc.  I am expecting her to go on strike with me,
but she's not interested in that...  

Note, Sol, that I don't send you a blank piece of paper.  I
cover it with serious news, nonsense, etc.  Send me long, thick,
detailed letters, just as I send to you.


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