Letters from Lida - 58

  

Dear Fanechka!

I received your letter and photos for which I am very grateful, especially for the photos that I enjoyed very much because I wanted to see you and dear X (1) at least in a picture. Thank God, she looks like a smart and intelligent girl. May God let your dreams about coming home become true, we will be very, very happy to see you. As for your trying to help us, we are very happy about it, my dear, and we wish you many returns and we don’t need money. Thank God, we do not need anything now and may God let it be no worse in the future. Currently I only wish that you would be healthy and that we would have only “naches” <happiness, Yiddish> from you and all our other children. On Tuesday it will be two weeks since Cheina had her operation. The operation, thank God, was successful but the first week was very worrisome and now, thank God, she is out of danger and everything is turning to the best. Our Frida came back last Sunday night, she spent the whole week in Vilno, and now Cheina will have her mother with her in Vilno. We already received two letters from Cheina herself, she wrote that she feels good and the doctors said that at the end of the week she would be able to leave  the clinic. Papa feels better too. As for me, after all the worries and work during the day, that is from 6 in the morning <unclear> until 6 in the evening, I am still doing good, may God let me be like this in the future. Do not worry, dear Fanechka, about us, but if you can <please help> Dorechka who I don’t stop thinking about. As I can see in the photo,  Manfred is in  uniform – do they really still have to go on watch in Raanana? We often receive letters from Lisa and, thank God, she feels better and the child is very good, she cannot stop praising him in every letter. She already rented a room in Druskeniki (2) where she is going at the end of the month for the spa. Frida’s Gitele also is very nice and smart girl. Be you all healthy and happy by the wish of you loving mother Revekka.

My special regards and best wishes to Manfred’s father and his sister with Manfred’s daughter.

Almost forgot to let you know that Moisey’s Robert is going <coming?> to Poland and is planning to come in the beginning of June.

My heartfelt regards to everybody. With kisses, Frida

 

Dear Dorechka!

I don’t want you to worry, we all, thank God, are doing well, and live with each other in peace, although they try hard to take everything from us. Cheina’s operation, thank God, is over and currently she feels better and hopes to come home at the end of the month. Frida spent a whole week with her, and during that time Yadzia, whom you should remember, was taking care of Cheina’s children and house, as well as of our house and Gitele. Although we have a maid we cannot rely on her yet. Don’t think about us much, dear Dorechka, think more about yourself. You also should not worry about Frida and Meilach because Meilach works for Shimshin (3) and he also got a raise in his salary. Boria (4) maybe will improve his circumstances also, because he had a concession on iron that he was not able to use due to insufficient funds, and now, because of it, he is going to share it with someone who has money. It will cost a train car of the product, but he will have some percent, he predicts from 150 to 200 zl., God be willing. Soon there will be a first shipment and then he will know for sure. We already have a photo of Lisa’s boy, and I will write her that she has to send you one too. With the baby, she does not have time to write letters, and her maid is not very helpful. She already rented a room in Druskeniki where she is going to take baths. She barely has time to get ready and go there in two weeks and at that time she will sent Musia to the Children’s colony in Lososno (5). If Frida will be able, she with Gitele will join her in Druskeniki. So, almost everybody left. Revekka with Taiba and a girl, Dora, Olia, Sonia, Tanya with Dodick, who recently took a test for the <high school?> certificate. The day after tomorrow aunt Chaya with Shimshen and Frida are leaving for Cechochinsk (6), and uncle Chaim-Abe is going to join Adasia in Mexico(7). Have you met Zabludovsky’s daughter who works in the coffee shop in Tel Aviv? Did you find out about Borsky’s nephew from Michel Sachin’s wife? He could not leave me alone <asking about it>. I would write you about everything in detail but don’t have time. During the harvest I will get more free time, and now, thank God, we have not such bad sales. First there was the beginning of the Russian Trinity (8), and now it’s grain season. Be healthy and happy, loving you mama Revekka.

<Note> Write me please if Dorgion sends you money, that Fanya gives him for sale, to buy fruits.

 

(1) Fanya’s child’s name removed for privacy reasons
(2) Druskininkai, a resort on the Nemunas (Niemen) River
(3) Shimshon was one of Fanya’s uncles.
(4) Boria is Fanya’s sister Lisa’s husband. Lisa has  just had a son.
(5) We do not know who Musia is; it’s a nickname for Shulamit. Perhaps Boria had a child by a previous marriage. Lososno is now known as Lososna. It’s another Neman River destination; see the link for a picture of a Jewish family picnicking in the area (you have to scroll down quite a way)
(6) Shimshen, Chaya & Frida are uncle & cousins to Fanya. Yes, this is cousin Frida, not sister Frida.  Ciechocinek is a spa known for its salt springs.
(7) Chaim-Aba and his wife did move to Mexico in fall 1937. 
(8) Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Sunday is better-known as Pentecost in the US. It occurs between May 10 and June 13. In 1937, it fell on May 16. However, the Russian Orthodox Church used the Julian Calendar, making it about 2 weeks later.