This
post continues translation of letters and postcards in Yiddish (and, sometimes, Hebrew) 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. By September 1911, Morris had moved to Lynn, Massachusetts.
Several people have noted that Levi Yitzkhak's cards and letters include both Yiddish and Hebrew. Translation is an art. Any comments or clarifications by Yiddish and/or Hebrew speakers/translators are welcome. There are quite a few places in this particular letter where the exact meaning could not be discerned.
Addressed to:
Translation
Translation by Esther Chanie Dushinsky
[Notes in blue as well as those at the end of the post are mine. For ease of reading, I have added paragraph breaks in the translation.]
Tuesday, Vayeitzei, November 28 English, 15 Russian [no month mentioned] 1911 [1]
My dear and beloved son Mr. Moshe - Shalom- Mordekhai, should live! I received your letter from November 13 English, on the 25th and Mother, Sara, should live sent it to me, and I received it on Sunday.[2] You revived my soul when I saw your letter.
Your entire letter, from start to finish, you wrote only about Moshe Rosenfeld and you wrote a lot of details.[3] But I know that isn't important. You wrote very sparingly about your situation and status, and that is what's important to us. Whatever it is, my beloved son, I will bless you that the suit that you made should be worn in good health. And from today onward, God should help that we should see you with much nachas.[4] You from us, and we should see from all of you, too, amen.
Moshe'le, Moshe'le, I sent you the address from Zanvil, and for whatever reason, you didn't comment on it in your letter.[5] One of these days, we received a letter from him and he himself writes that _____ there is no news at his end. And he works for a non-Jew. And his _____ is also full _____ _____ his situation and status. I sent your address to him already and it's more than a month since, and he wrote that he lost it. He's requesting that I send it again. He wants to connect with you in his letter as brothers and beloved friends and _____.
Son, there is no news at our end, and everything is as it was. Gershon pulled back from the deal, and now we are without a buyer.[6] The freezing winter is here now and I light the flames for myself[?]. _____ _____ is now over and done with. Meaning, God knows man's thoughts, because it's all futile. Mother writes that she might have another buyer, but I don't know if it's indeed.
[upside down]
Write to us more often, my child. Now is the time to fulfill Kibud Av V'em [honoring father and mother]. You are also our honor.
[side 2]
but don't ask _____ _____. Mr. Gershon pulled us along the entire time. He fooled me almost the entire summer, from day to day, week to week. And at the end he tells me that he doesn't have the money.
Moshe, nu, write the truth. You constantly write that you earn $12 a week. You should have some money at least. My dear son, my thought isn't about asking you for money, but I am curious to know. Let me know at least. Do you have any letter from _____ _____ [names are unclear].
[at the top]
I received a notice from Faiga that in Baranovka there is a new bank that's called __?___ Bank [Russian] , and Shakhna stayed there _____ _____ [phrase of Russian origin and transliterates as Platna Tshten/Tshlen] and they offered 400 for a year and it could be that they will still rent the home because of the bank.[7] They don't know yet about the house _____.
Notes:
1. Vayeitzei was the seventh weekly Torah reading of the Hebrew calendar: Genesis 28:10-32:3. It includes Jacob's dream of a ladder to heaven. "Vayetze," Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayetze : accessed 24 October 2021).
28 November 1911 in the Gregorian calendar was (and is still) in use in the United States was the same date as 15 November (Ноябр) in the Julian calendar then is use in the Russian Empire.
2. Mother was Frieda Simberg Lederman and Sara was one of Morris' sisters. They both lived in Annopol, Ostrog Uyezd (district), Volhynia Gubernia (province).
3. I have searched for the name Moshe (and first name variations) Rosenfeld in both the 1910 U.S. census and 1911 and 1912 city directories for Lynn, Massachusetts. I have also checked a 1906 Ostrog District Duma Voters List and did not locate anyone from Annopol with the surname or Rozenfeld, Roizenfeld or Reizenfeld.
4. Nachas (a Yiddish word) means taking pride in achievement.
5. Zanvil was Morris' older brother.
6. Levi Yitzkhak and Frieda had been trying to sell their home in Annopol for several months so that Frieda and Sara could move closer to where Levi Yitzkhak was working (in the Polonnoye area). They had been thinking about moving to the community of Baranovka, where their older daughter, Feiga was living with her husband Shakhne and their three children. Gershon (whose surname is unknown to us) had, apparently, been stringing them along for several months.
7. Platna tsen (платна цен) translates as "paid prices." It appears that Feiga and Shakhne were considering renting another house if Frieda, Levi Yitzkhak and Sara moved to Baranovka.
Posts in this series:
"Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 18 January 1911"
"Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 4 February 1911"
"Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 21 February 1911"
"Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 8 March 1911"
"Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 27 April 1911"
Such depth of feeling in these letters, from-the-heart writing. How I wish letters like this had survived in my family, but sadly nothing other than photos with brief, affectionate captions.
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