Lodz, 1 December 1928 To my dear and devoted brother, as well as precious nephew, and niece, S. and E. Zissman, You are surely on the lookout, my devoted one, for a letter from your uncle. You'll think to yourself, "I've written two letters and for some reason there's been no answer. It's not in Uncle's nature to make me wait for an answer. Surely, something new has taken place, eh?" And so it is. I must, my devoted brother, relate to you in detail what caused me to make you wait for four whole weeks and not to answer your dear letters to me! So, my devoted and dear Sol, I let you know that I have recently gone through a great deal involving my only son, Joseph, and during the time encountered a number of miracles. Five weeks ago, as always, my Joseph went to school. I was out in the street, and when I came home for lunch, I saw that my Joseph was not yet back from school. Having a sort of premonition, both of us, I as well as Aunt Malke, were uneasy because of the child. I wasn't able to eat, and wanted to go to the school to ask where the child is because two hours had passed. At that very moment, they sent for me to come to school. My heart began to beat rapidly; G-d knows what has happened... And, really, I didn't walk to the school; I flew there. Entering the school, I found a small ambulance from the First Aid standing there. This made me even more uneasy... Climbing to the third floor, I saw a doctor standing and treating my child. You can imagine my distress, dear Sol. The pain and the screaming of the child are indescribable. To be brief, I learned what had happened. When the children were on their way home from school, someone gave him a shove and he fell so awkwardly that he fell down thirty steps, sliding and, G-d forbid, breaking a leg. After the necessary treatment by the doctor, they asked me whether I wanted to take the child home or whether I wanted him sent to the hospital. I answered that I would rather have my child at home than in the hospital. So the doctor turned him over to me and instructed me to take his temperature because sometimes it's necessary, chas v'cholilah, to amputate the leg... Hearing such words from a doctor, I was desolated and overcome. I became dizzy. Nevertheless, it is my nature not to fall apart, G-d forbid, when something happens, chas v'cholilah. I rode home with the child. At home there were tears afresh from his mother, from the children. However, instead of crying, I immediately sent for a doctor, a specialist, a surgeon, who saw to everything. He put the leg in the best of order with a cast and with bandages. And he reassured me completely, telling me that it would heal, although it would take five to six weeks for the child to be completely well. So, my devoted one, five weeks have already passed since then, and everything is O.K., thank G-d. It just cost a few gulden and a some moments of fear of death. Today, when I write this letter to you, they have already removed the cast and, while he is still limping a bit and can't go to school, nevertheless he is out of danger and there is nothing to be worried about because, thank G-d, he improves from day to day! Therefore, my devoted and beloved Sol, I deferred (writing) to you recently since I didn't want to sadden you and didn't want to write to you about what had recently taken place in my home. However, now that everything is, thank G-d, in the best of order, I am writing to you. Although you may be frightened by the beginning of the letter, as you read you will recognize that, chas v'cholilah, nothing happened; we merely had a terrible scare... May G-d protect us from all evil. If I am not mistaken, dear Sol, the same sort of thing happened to you in 1920, when your mother, may she rest in peace, was in the hospital!!! Further, dear brother, as to your thanking me so much for such a small present and asking me whose idea it was, my own or whether people wear such watch fobs in Poland? So, Sol, I write that I have never seen such a thing worn in Poland. However, I have constantly wondered how to memorialize the name of my dear sister because I still don't believe that she is dead since I did not witness her death. I still think that she has left us for a distant land where we will never see each other again during our lives. However, I always have her in mind. Therefore, you needn't wonder, Sol, how I happened to think about making such a memento. It's quite simply my own idea. Would that I had better talents so that it would have turned out better. I couldn't find a capable artisan. However it is, l hope that it will be dear to you and suitable to wear, a reminder provided by your uncle of the anniversary date of your mother's death, may she rest in peace. Further, dear Sol, you write to me in your second letter that you received and read my long letter carefully. As to my not being attracted to go to them in Canada, you write that it's not so bad. You write that people travel to complete strangers, having no relatives in the country, and also that people older than I (go). And yet, they are really not frightened, and they make the trip. Further, you are not as intent on improving my situation as that of the children. It's true that I read a wise answer in your letter. However, devoted and good natured Sol, how many times have I already pointed out to you that I am ready to do everything in the world in order not to cause the ruin of another person, and not to influence another person (to ruin himself)? You yourself wrote that in order to go to Canada legally it would have to cost as much as $1,000. And this presents a question. Where will the $1,000 come from? I assume that it is unnecessary to describe my people there. You have become somewhat familiar with them and you know who is available there to enter the "battle" with you... I can only say this much, dear Sol: Aunt Malke, their only sister, has recently broken off her relationship with them because of their treatment of their own parents... I don't write to them at all, and their letters and they themselves are not significant to me. Neither their letters, nor their word, nor they themselves are conscientious as far as I am concerned. One can't get a loan on the basis of their word. Therefore, my devoted brother, I have recently given up on them and their plans even though the old folks want us to come, perhaps because it would be better for them. There's no mention of help and, then again, for them to be completely uninvolved and for me to ride on your back, dear Sol, is not my plan because you are not strong enough to carry me by yourself from Lodz to Canada, and so on. Therefore, my dear and devoted Sol, I have resolved to endure as much as I can, i.e., as much as my strength will permit me to endure, and not to ask anything of anyone. What will be will be. If it's my fate, I will go to America and be a poor devil in America, as you yourself write me the tale of a young man who has recently been working for you for $18 a week. He's been in the country for eight years already, and has nothing. You know very well, Sol, that I have experienced everything... I went through more difficult times during the war. All my life I have struggled for a better future... I still think that if I had more money I could make a go of it because I am dealing with just a few groszy, with a small amount of capital. I can't attain any existence, anything suitable, any business, because I don't have the wherewithal. I am satisfied if I simply make it through the day. I don't worry about tomorrow because my worrying is not going to help. It merely makes me prematurely gray... So, nothing more of importance. I close my letter with heartfelt regards for you and for my dear niece, Esther. What's the latest respecting the pregnancy?... Send me a prompt answer about everything and everyone. Regards to your in-laws, father, sisters, family, et al. Heartfelt regards from Aunt Malke and from my children, Balcia, Rifkele and Joseph. Aunt Estherl and Uncle Lazer send their regards to you. Wolfche sends his regards to you. He is working here and eats and sleeps by me. He'll be a fine youngster. Further, regards from the whole family, Uncle Emanuel, Aunt Dina Raisel, Uncle Yankel, Aunt Chaya Rifke and their families, et al. Regards for your uncles and congratulations for your Uncle David Isaac. With the help of G-d, may you have the same good fortune. Write me a long letter. Write about everything. Write me how the year of 1928 turned out, etc. From me, your uncle, who hopes for your good fortune. Wolf Lewkowicz All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.