Letters from Lida - 150

February 5, 1941

Ruth Norden
c/o Miss Banow
“Baldrand” Lancaster

 My dear, good Joseph, my dear Hilde, I have just received your letter, which brought me the awfully sad news, that dear David has died. I cannot tell you, how this news has struck me, and cannot describe my sorrow to you. I have the wish for you and for all of is, that the Almighty may shield you from any such future blow. Do not rail against the Almighty, the Almighty will test you , if you hold to Him in the greatest pain or not. It is the greatest possible pain for parents to have to let go of a child, but don’t forget that the Dear G-d has the deepest reasons which we cannot measure with our human understanding. May the Almighty grant you the blessing to send you a healthy child soon, to carry the name of our beloved Father, and walk in his ways, that our dearly beloved Mother may sun herself on this child! I beg you to promise that you will not tell our beloved Mother the news that the Almighty, praised be his name, has called the child to Him, because the injury, that we have lost our dearly beloved Father’s memory, may  it be blessed.

 I beg you, my dear ones, take care of yourselves, stay healthy, and don’t save in the wrong places. You, my dear Hilde, I beg you, please take proper care of yourself and dear Joseph, do not economize on food and drink, it leads to nothing good.  I beg you to lead a sensible life style, because you owe us and your dearest Mother that. [In England as she was, Ruth apparently had no clue as to the “life style” that remained to Jews in Germany].  With the same post, I got the enclosed letter from America. I beg you to [illegible] regularly, and write me. You should take two pieces of paper, one for me, and one which I can send on. Martin isn’t back yet. Now, my dear Ones, receive the innermost kisses from your loyal Ruthy

 My dear Ones, how horrible, that such pain has struck you. I feel with you and hope, that the All Good will give you consolation. I know words cannot help, thus only this short note. Be cordially greeted by your Erica.

 The combination of the names of a child David and mother Hilde means that the family to whom this letter is addressed, is the same family who received letter 119.