Letters from Lida - 32

My dearests!

Dorechka, your last letter upsets me very much. Don’t even think about renting a room by yourself and get a job yet – you wrote yourself that Fanya has a lot of work, so help her instead. If you want to be paid, talk to her. It takes away my health that you are still in distress. Take care of your health so you can get better. Learn Hebrew and do not think about anything else for now and do not get Fanechka upset. You are her guest and must obey her in everything. “Endure, kozak, and you will be a leader.” <Russian proverb>. Everything is the same at home, Gitel still asks about you very often. Write to us, Dorechka, in detail: how you spend your every day over there. Probably you have to work a lot. To bad that X (1) is not getting along with you but I think that she will get used to you because all children love you a lot. Fanechka, dear, you probably already heard about cheap tours from Palestine to Poland. It costs only 10 pounds. If you wish and if Dorechka will let you go maybe you could leave her with the child and come home for a month and we would talk about everything. However, I don’t know about arrangements with your court case and if you have to be present there. I would love you to come but don’t know how do you feel about it and how Dorechka would react. If she would not want <to let you go>, do not leave her alone.

<Note:> This fare is very cheap: 10 pounds both ways.

Fanechka, make sure that she rests well and get well. She worked very hard at home and left absolutely exhausted. Fanechka, if you would be able to take her often to the city and introduce her to some people, it would be more interesting for her. For her, a village is like a horror, she needs to be surrounded by people. Make all possible efforts to ease her, she takes very seriously that cannot get along with anybody over there.

Dorechka, two more months and you will get used to the language and maybe will start understanding it. You must go to the <language> classes, it also will give you some variety in life. Fanechka, most importantly try to introduce her to some people, but not to the girls, to the guys. I don’t like all-female surroundings.

Dorechka, it is such a happiness that you got a maid before the Holidays, otherwise it would be hard <?>. You know “trot der imnet” <Yiddesh?>  She does not look good, Papa also does not feel too good. When it’s warm he is better, but as soon as the weather gets cold he is in a worse shape.  It was very cold at Passover, imagine, we had to fire up all three stoves every day. Now it is little warmer, but we still fire up the stoves every other day. Gitel <?> on the street from morning to evening, does not want to be at home and screams (<Yiddish>). Dorechka, she can say everything and is very funny.

Fanechka, it would be good if you could get some connections and we would be able to go to <unclear> and would not have to have those expensive documents. If you are thinking about coming write to us. With loving kisses, Frida.

(1) Name of Fanya’s child removed for privacy reasons

The combination of Dora's recent arrival (X is not used to her yet) and cheap tours to Poland from Israel imply the year 1936