This letter, with 14
and 15, seems to form a chronological series.
Dear Dorecka!
You already know from Frida’s letter what we endured, and
thank God it is over. I think I wrote to you already that I have written to the
Warsaw
address that you gave me about the gloves which I sent with your <employer
or landlord> to some company, but I have not heard from them yet. As for
Lisa, for now she will stay in Grodno, because we could not ask
her <to come> to Lida, she is almost due and at least I will write
to Gizel and mademoiselle Melchinskaya so they can take care about her a little
because despite my strong desire I will not be able to go there. Until recently
the weather was warm but now it is frosty. By the time when (Lisa) Frida was
not able to come to the store Papa felt much better and he stopped by from time
to time, however now his pain is coming back and he has to take his medicine
again, although before he stopped taking it at all. As you know, Mania
Poniachek[could be Poliachek] married an intelligent but poor guy and he already is working on the
road <tarmac?> and imagine, I
could not find time to visit her to
congratulate her. First, there were the Holidays and then on the 25th
Frida got sick. For a couple of months as I have not been anywhere, but people
are visiting us, especially aunt Chaia and Shimshin.(1) By the way, Shimshin
also does not feel good, he has troubles breathing and waits eagerly for the
summer so he can leave for the resort area. Uncle Chaim – Abe (2) also does not
feel too good, however he is getting better and even came to visit us today. He
is not too friendly with Fania (his daughter-in-law) <although they live
together>, and is thinking to go to Mexico
to Adasa. We were told that Ida’s Mirochka is developing very well.(3) They
were trying to make a match for Frida – Lvovna (4) with a lawyer but something
did not work out. Taibochka also got a beautiful girl and everybody in the
family is busy with her only. But our Gitel is the best of all, she understands
everything and talking seriously like a grown up person. Write to us how is
your life and have the guests already arrived. Has the rainy weather stopped?
We already have frosts but it feels much better because there are only six
weeks left until Purim. Would you object if I wrote you in dialect <”jargon” in the text>? I think it will benefit you so
you would be able to read fluently in jargon. Be healthy, I wish you the very
best.
Your loving mama Revecca.
(1) Kalman’s brother Shimson. [Kalman is Revekka’s husband
and Fania & Dora’s father]. Shimson’s wife Chaia/Chana was murdered in
1942.
(2) Chaim Abba, another of Kalman’s brothers. His daughter
Hadassa, married to Aaron Darszon/Darshon, emigrated to Mexico
with her family. Eventually his son Nathan,
with whose wife Chaim Abba was “not too friendly”, and family also
emigrated to Mexico.
(3) Kalman's brother Lev (Lyova) had a daughter
Idda or Ida who
might have been recently married & having her first
child when this letter was written. Family sources are divided as to
whether her husband was Moneh Blumental or Mordechai Novoprutsky. They
had a child Mari, who could easily have been nicknamed Mirochka.
This cousin & her family were victims of the mass murders. Lev and
Chana were likewise murdered in the Holocaust.
(4) The name Frida was popular in the family, so
her
patronymic is used to distinguish her as the cousin Frida, daughter of
Lyova
mentioned in (3). She was murdered in the Holocaust. Her cousin
Ze'ev in Israel submitted a Page of Testimony, according to which she
was unmarried.
Letters from Lida - 16