(going) The Extra Yad: 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