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.

Postmark

27 May 1911, Polonnoe, Wol. [Volhynia Gubernia]

[This is the Julian calendar date, which was in effect in the Russian Empire at this time. The letter was posted the same day it was written. The equivalent in the Gregorian calendar (in use in the United States, then and now) was 9 June 1911.]

Addressed to:

Mr. J. Simberg

134-136 Cannon Street

New York

U.S. of America

for Morris Lederman

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]

Friday eve of Shabbos, Naso, 9 June English, 27 May Russian [1]

My dear and beloved son, as precious as my soul, Mr. Moshe-Shalom-Mordekhai, should live.

This past week on Friday, on the eve of Shevuos, I received your letter from home.[2] And today, here in Polonnoe _____ I came back here on Monday and found a letter from you. I am reading your _____ [outcry?] that you haven't received a letter from me. And it is surprising to me and all of us that you didn't receive a letter, not the one from mother _____ _____ [looks like a name that starts with F/P, but it's indecipherable]. I hope that you get the letters soon, there is no other possibility, other than that the letters were held up on the way. _____ not allow any _____.

There is no _____, and has nothing to add, and the new _____ and will wake up and Zanvel [?] will manage to travel to Ekaterinoslav - didn't I express in the previous letters that _____, most likely there won't be _____. God should help that it should be for the best. Sadly, he hasn't traveled yet, he is waiting an address that should get to him from there.[3]

Aside from Toba's groom, meaning Gittele's groom, he received more protektzia [preferential treatment due to some connections] there, from someone we know, and we hope that God will help and something will work out. The truth is that Zanvel is a capable person. He isn't a lost cause. Most likely God will have mercy and something will work out for the best.

[Side 2]

Moshe'leh, what's the story as to why you started writing very shortly? You don't write about what your job is, you don't write whether you earn enough or not, you don't write about how you spend your days. Write, write, my child, your _____ [writing is faded at the fold of the paper], your leisure time.

And what about Reuven? You haven't written about him? Did he get married? With whom and where?[4]

Bottom line, my son, my son, write, write. I slept here, I ate here, I spent my time here.

Your father who worries about you _____

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

Notes:

1. The Torah reading for Naso is Numbers 4:21–7:89. The Hebrew date of this card was 13 Sivan 5671.

2. Home was in Annopol, Ostrog District. Shavuos, a two-day observance, started at sundown on Thursday, 19 May 1911 (Julian calendar) and 1 June in 1911 (Gregorian calendar). It is called the "Feast of Weeks" or the Pentecost. It marks the time when the Jews received the Torah on Mount Sinai.

3. In the previous letter (postmarked 21 May 1911), Levi Yitzkhak mentioned that someone named Gittel, daughter of Toba, was engaged and her future husband, a successful businessman said he could help Zanvel, Levi Yitzkhak's older son, find work in Ekaterinislav.

4. In his letter postmarked 11 May 1911, Levi Yitzkhak mentioned Reuben to whom he'd written a letter that had been returned probably because the address was incorrect. I noted in that post that I was working on the possibility that Reuben was Reuben Resnick. See note 4 on that post.

5. Levi Yitzkhak's brother-in-law was his wife's brother, Jacob Simberg.

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