26 July 2020

Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 11 May 1911

This post continues translation from Yiddish and analysis of letters sent by Levi Yitzkhak Liderman to his son, Morris, who was settled, initially, in New York City in 1910. For further background, see the first post in this series. 

 For links to other posts in this series, scroll to the bottom.

As noted previously, translation is an art. Any comments or clarifications by Yiddish speakers/translators are welcome.

As an aid to understanding, I have placed a family tree at the end of the post.









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11 May 1911, Polonnoe, Volin G. [Volhynia Gubernia]
[This is the Julian calendar date, which was in effect in the Russian Empire at this time. The letter was written two days earlier on 9 May 1911. The equivalent in the Gregorian calendar (in use in the United States, then and now) was 22 May 1911.]


 Addressed to: 

Mr. J. Simberg

134-136 Cannon [Street]

Neu Yorc

for Morris Liderman

[The Russian printed text on the top left side of the card reads: L. Liderman.]

Translation

Translation by Esther Chanie Dushinsky

[Notes in blue as well as those at the end of the post are mine. Levi Yitzkhak tried to squeeze as much on the card as possible and did not break the text into paragraphs. For ease of reading, I have added paragraph breaks in the translation.]


9 May [Russian calendar], 22 May [USA calendar] 1911
Tuesday, Bamidbar[1]

My dear and beloved son, my ____ soul, Mr. Moshe'leh, should live. They sent all you letters from my house, to me, as well as the postcard that you sent to my current address ____.[2]

I read your letters that there is hope that ____ 12 dollars to ____. I am adding my request, and I am asking, who is going to give, and I hope that the Ribono Shel Olam [God] will judge you favorably and your charisma will be seen in the eyes of others, with even greater charisma, good luck and blessings.

Why, my son, wouldn't you write to me the entire time what job you currently have? Will you have a specific job, or will you just be working for them?

____ ____ [last week?] I received the letter and card that were returned to me from America. ____ Rosh Chodesh Nissan ____, 17 March Russia, 30 March English.[3] And I sent you this card to Reuven's address, A 132. Most likely they couldn't find him in America, so they sent it back to me, what is this? It could be, that if you'd write to me that Reuven got married already and is in the country already, that's why they couldn't find him in New York.[4]

You wrote that you had not letters for 12 days. That's surprising to me, because I write a letter to you, from here every single week, They also write to you from home amost every week. What could be the matter [?]?

Moshe'leh, my son, today I picked up a letter today from our Zanvel'n a letter. He's complaining sadly - he tells me "you gave to Faiga'n, you gave to Moshe'n, and I am the sacrifice."[5] I am crying and mourning over this. What can I do? One God should have mercy. I write to mother that she should sell the home and we can settle somewhere else. Because I am depending ____ ____ our situation is very dire.

[side 2]
A fine, smart, a ____ and has nothing to do in Bushtin [?]. It's possible that in Polonnoe he might find something to do. Times flies. He isn't a boy anymore. What can we do? "What do we do?" He wants me to give him 50 Rubles [?], so that he can travel to ____ or somewhere else. What you wrote about, when I will be home I will see where it will take me. I should come up with a good idea, a solid idea to advise him!

Your father who wants the best for you, good luck, and happiness, ____ ____

[upside down]
Send regards to my brother in law and the entire family.[6]

Notes:
1. Bamidbar is the 34th weekly Torah reading in the Jewish cycle. It is the book Numbers 1:1-4:20.
2. Home was, at this time, in Annopol. Levi Yitzkhak was working in Polonnoe, 57.4 kilometers (35.6 miles) distant.
3. The Hebrew date, 1 Nissan (Rish Chodesh) 5671, was the equivalent of Gregorian calendar (USA), 30 March 1911, and Julian calendar (Russia), 17 March 1911.
4. [Don't tell anyone ;-) but] I am working on an hypothesis that this Reuben mentioned in several letters was Reuben Resnick. Reuben and his sister Pearl Resnick Flikoff (some letters also mention Pearl in the same breath as Reuben) were immigrants from the same general area (Zaslav Uyezd) as the Lederman and Garber families. Reuben lived in Lower Manhattan until he married Rose Berse on 19 March 1911. Shortly after that, he moved to Plainfield, Union County, New Jersey, where he opened a stationery/candy store. If this is the correct Reuben, then Levi Yitzkhak might have considered Reuben's move out of New York City as a move out to the country. Reuben's father was identified as Jacob Resnick and his mother as Rose Flikoff (Pearl may have married a cousin). I think that Reuben and Pearl might have been related to the Ledermans via their father's Resnick line. See Reuben's marriage record: New York Co., NY, marriage certificate no. 8218 (1911), Reuben Resnick and Rose Berse, 19 March 1911; Municipal Archives, New York City. More on this possibility as the information does or does not click into place.
5. Zanvel and Feiga are two of Moshe's siblings.
6. Moshe had been staying (or at least collecting his mail) at his uncle's (Jacob Simberg) home.
~~~~~~~~~~
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05 July 2020

Letters from Levi Yitzkhkak Lederman, 27 April 1911

This post continues translation from Yiddish and analysis of letters sent by Levi Yitzkhak Liderman to his son, Morris, who was settled, initially, in New York City in 1910. For further background, see the first post in this series. 

 For links to other posts in this series, scroll to the bottom.


As noted previously, translation is an art. Any comments or clarifications by Yiddish speakers/translators are welcome.



As an aid in understanding, I have included a family tree at the bottom of this post.



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27 April 1911, Polonnoe, Volin [Volhynia Gubernia]
[This is the Julian calendar date, which was in effect in the Russian Empire at this time. The letter was written one day earlier on 26 April 1911. The equivalent in the Gregorian calendar (in use in the United States, then and now) was 9 May 1911.]


 Addressed to: 

Mr. J. Simberg
134-136 Cannon Street
Neu Yorc C.
for Morris Liderman

[The Russian printed text on the top left side of the card reads: L. Liderman.]

Translation

Translation by Esther Chanie Dushinsky

[Notes in blue as well as those at the end of the post are mine. Levi Yitzkhak tried to squeeze as much on the card as possible and did not break the text into paragraphs. For ease of reading, I have added paragraph breaks in the translation.]


3 Iyyar, May 9 [English], 26 April [Russian] 1911[1]

My dear son, as beloved as my own soul, Mr. Moshe'leh, should live. I received your card from Pesach that mother, should live, sent to me from home. Since then, I haven't received a single letter from me. Usually they send the letters with the Saturday mail. but this past Shabbos I didn't get anything. I know why. She planned to send it when she has an opportunity. This is Mr. Baruch Basya'kas [likely Baruch son of Basya]. He should have traveled here, but for some reason he didn't come. Most likely he will come at a later time. Mother plans to send it with him and won't have to pay for postage.

Leah Greenfield Saltzman
Today I received a letter from Faiga'n. Thank God for their health. Leah'nyu is currently studying in Zhitomir since Purim and they want her to _____ [Russian word transliterated as koncza, meaning end or terminate] towards _____ [transliterates as optekarski utcenicza][аптекарский ученица (aptekarskiy uchenitsa) means pharmacy student], or _____ [dantist-ka][дантист (dantist) is dentist].[2] And this time she is complaining again as to why you don't write to her. I sent her your cards, which on one card you wrote that Sura'le "How is my dear and beloved sister, the Barnaker [?]."[3] She writes about Sura'la that she is very happy that you are at least inquiring about her and wishes you and blesses you in the letter. I wish it will be fulfilled.

Here at home

[side 2]
there is no news. We thank God for our health. I hope to hear the same from you. Most likely in the letter that you have written to me during this time, you wrote everything about yourself. You write that you have _____ to travel to _____[Lun?][likely, Lynn].[4] Did you travel already, and how was the way? You father that loves you and blesses you with heart and soul _____  _____

Send regards to my brother in law _____.[5]

Notes:
1. May 9 (Gregorian calendar) and 26 April (Julian calendar) are equivalents. 3 Iyyar in the Hebrew calendar is a mistake. The correct equivalent Hebrew calendar date in 1911 would have been 11 Iyyar.

2. So it seems that the school that Leah was attending in Zhitomyr was encouraging her to continue her education in either pharmacy or dentistry. It does not appear that she pursued either of those careers. For further information on Leah, Faiga Liderman Grinfeld's eldest daughter, and her attendance at gymnasium (similar to a junior college) in Zhitomyr, see this blog post.

3. Sura was Morris' other sister.

4. A few months later, in August 1911, Morris moved to Lynn, Massachusetts. So, he likely took a trip there earlier to evaluate opportunities. It makes sense that Levi Yitzkhak would transliterate Lynn as Lun in Hebrew because in the Cyrillic alphabet the letter Y is pronounced as as oo.

5. Jacob Simberg


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02 July 2020

Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 25 March 1911

This post continues translation from Yiddish and analysis of letters sent by Levi Yitzkhak Liderman to his son, Morris, who was settled, initially, in New York City starting in 1910. For further background, see the first post in this series. 

 For links to other posts in this series, scroll to the bottom.

As noted previously, translation is an art. Any comments or clarifications by Yiddish speakers/translators are welcome.

As an aid in understanding, I have included a family tree at the bottom of this post.



Postmark

25 March 1911, Polonnoe, Volin [Volhynia Gubernia]
[This is the Julian calendar date, which was in effect in the Russian Empire at this time. The letter was written one day earlier on 24 March 1911. The equivalent in the Gregorian calendar (in use in the United States, then and now) was 6 April 1911.]


 Addressed to: 

Mr. J. Simberg
134-136 Canone Street [should be Cannon Street]
fur Moris Lidermane
in Neu-york
America

Translation


Translation by Esther Chanie Dushinsky

[Notes in blue as well as those at the end of the post are mine. Levi Yitzkhak tried to squeeze as much on the card as possible and did not break the text into paragraphs. For ease of reading, I have added paragraph breaks in the translation.]

[Side 1]
[Dates in Russian] March 14, 1911
                        April 6, 1911
My beloved son Mr. Moshe-Shalom-Mordekhai, should live. I received you letter to my house, where they send it. And _____ read them and respond with my soul. I am grateful to you and thanking you and thanking God for your health and everything God gives you. He should give you life and peace and everything good, always. Mother, should live, writes to me that she sends you letters very often and imagine what a _____ mother feels from your letters. I wanted your card [photo]. You write that your costume is very nice and you enjoy it.[1] I wished you in the past and wish you now again that you should wear it well and you should tear it will and the blessing should be fulfilled that you wrote. That we should live to make you silk clothing for your wedding.

I don't have any news to write. Everything is as it was. Pesach is coming, it should be His will that we should have - and you too.[2] You should have a healthy and happy and Kosher Pesach, and the same should be after Pesach, and forever.

I read that on Chol Hamoed Pesach you want to travel to Hershel Kluger.[3] Did you go? And what did you do there?

I will travel home on Tuesday to be Bodek Chametz [to check the home for leavened foods before Pesach].

Moshe'leh, Moshe'leh ____ I wrote a few times to you, you should write to Mottel'n and ask him he should help Avraham Abba'n with something.[4] He sadly cried that he doesn't send him money and no letters and it's already 15-16 weeks that he didn't get any sign from him. And so, what is this that he's quiet? After Shabbos I will write to you from him, on Wednesday before Pesach.

[upside down]
_____ writes Faiga'n and Shakhna'n and the children.[5] Most likely they will be in _____ [our/your?] home for Pesach, we will have letters from you. You also wrote that you will send us photos that you had done.

[sideways]
Send to Faiga'n a photo as well, and to Avraham Abba'n too, Perle'n.[6]

[Side 2]
Praise to Reuven as when you were in danger [?] before that, you wrote to me every time about the praises of his kindness that Reuven bestowed upon you. Also Shaul [or Shmuel?] got married thank God and ____ that you won't mention even a hint about me.[7]

My son, my son, write because you have to. I wish we could see each other with great pleasure and Nakhas, Amen. Your father who talks about you a lot from the depths of his heart, true words from a place of love, I promise you, my son, _____ [signature]

My brother in law is sending his name, as well as his family, blessings to you for this Yom Tov to you and your household. Your father _____.

Moshe'leh, send regards in the name of Nakhum, Mottel, Reuven, _____, friendly and loving. Loving and friendly.[8]

Notes:
1. In previous letters (21 February 1911 and 08 March 1911), Levi Yitzkhak mentioned that Moshe was planning on purchasing a new suit for $12.

2. The first seder of Passover (14 Nissan) fell on 12 April 1911 in the United States and 30 March 1911 in Russia.

3. Chol Hamoed Pesach refers to the intermediate days of Passover. The most important days of the 8-day Passover are the first two dinners (seders) and the last day. The other days would be Chol Hamoed. Hershel Kluger settled in New Haven, Connecticut and was identified and discussed in a previous post: 10 December 1910 (see note 11 in that blog post).

4. One must always be good to one's parents! Here we see - more than 100 years later - admonishment for my great uncle Mottel (Max) Garber (Moshe's first cousin) who had left Russia for New York City in 1910 and, apparently, at this point not been a dutiful son. His father (my great grandfather) Avraham Abba (who was also Levi Yitzkhak's brother) needed money and craved contact.
  Seriously, one thing I have noted about these letters is that the distance and situation was difficult for everyone. Letters sometimes took months to get across the ocean and some were likely lost. Those who came to the USA hoping to help their families in the old country found out that the low wage jobs they could find did not provide much opportunity to support oneself and send money home.

5. Faiga was Moshe's sister and Shakhna Grinfeld was her husband. They lived in Baranovka with their three children: Leah, Raya and Wolf (called Leah, Ray and Robert after immigration in the early 1920s).

6. Faiga and Avraham Abba were noted previously. Perl was likely one of Avraham Abba's daughters who married Itzik Zabarsky in Labun.

7. Since this paragraph was confusing, the translator asked another to take a stab at it, as well. The second translator provided the following:
Reuven that you mentioned to me and each time praised the kind acts Reuven did for you. Also _____ got married, thank God, found a husband ____  ____. And you won't mention even a hint from me.

8. Mottel and Nakhum Garber (my great uncles) were sons of Avraham Abba who had immigrated to New York - Mottel in 1908 and Nakhum in 1910. I am not sure of Reuven's identity. I have a hunch - but I cannot yet prove it.



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