(going) The Extra Yad: Letters from Levi Yitzkhak Lederman, 1 June 1913

This post continues translation of letters and postcards in Yiddish (and, sometimes, Hebrew and a little bit of Russian) sent to Morris Lederman, who immigrated to the United States in 1910. Most of the correspondence, such as this one, were sent by Morris' father Levi Yitzkhak. For further background, see the first post in this series.

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

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.]

Postmarked:

Baranovka, 1 June 1913 [Russian date; the equivalent date in the United States was 14 June 1913]

Addressed to:

Mr. Morris Liderman

9 Olsen Place [1]

Lynn - Mass

oft Shepard St

America

[side 1]

June 13, 1913 [June is written in Russian (Июнь). The date is in the Gregorian calendar, i.e., the calendar used now and in the United States at that time.]

My dear and beloved son Mr. Moshe - Shalom - Mordekhai, should live. We received your cards and we thank you that you write often. And we wish and ask God that we should hear good news, and you should write something good.

Everything here is as usual. Thank God for our health. God should hear the same from you.

From Zavel'n we received a letter on Erev Shavuos.[2] He also doesn't write any news, everything is as usual. He asks what happened to the $20 that Mikhoel [unclear - possibly Mikhel or Mirel] sent you for expenses. Nu, where is the money? What can we tell him? He asks that I should write to you and ask what this is about. About him, I can't write more than that he does not have a kopek of his earning. It seems he stays with nothing. He had sent me 20, and he barely managed to send 10 and for the second 10 he apologized with the reason that he is stuck now. It isn't surprising. 18 rubles goes towards _____ [stahl], _____ [kamtiamen], shoes, _____ [dumerga], _____ [vinterga] and so on. One by one, he stays with nothing. He writes to me that he changed the regulations, and added to the _____ [zhavania], because it is very little.[3]

I stayed in the home for Shabbos, since Yom Tov, and will travel to the forest on Sunday.[4] Yes, from Zavel'n, that we collected 100 to put away for percent

[following text is around the outside of the card] bond, you already know that it was done, as we wrote to you about it.[5] I think mother, should live, wrote to you about it. And since then, it is indeed a bit more manageable. As long as he gives me great regards, thank God. The bosses are very, very pleased with him. God should help that the blessing should find grace with everyone.

[side 2]

Now my dear son, I am asking you in my name, in mother's name, she should live, and the name of everyone, Feiga, Shakhna, Sarah, Zavel.[6] We are all inquiring about you and want to know and hear what's going on with you. Do you remember, Moshe'la, you once learned King David's song in Tehillim [psalms]. If I forget you...if I don't remember...if I do not rise... [7]

This is true for us. We don't forget about you, we don't let it slip our mind. Who is even discussing mother, should live, and so my dear and beloved son, write to us, write to us.

Feiga and I bought a sewing machine.

I am ending my writing and greeting you and greeting you in the name of everyone. A warm greeting to everyone we know. As an example Zuna Kona'n and in the family of Yisrael Pesakh's, and the family of David Wallach. _____

Notes:

1. 9 Olsen Place ("oft Shepard St") was a new address for Morris. The last postcard in this collection, from December 1912, showed that he lived at 92 Blossom. No listings for Morris Lederman have been found in any Lynn city directories (1911-1914). And no listing for Olson Place has been found in Lynn directories from 1912 or 1913. The 1914 directory (viewed in Ancestry's "U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995" collection) included three residents of 9 Olsen Place: Samuel Brenner (clerk), Charles Gould (plumber), and Joseph Savio (shoemaker). Olsen Place was a stub of a street that started near 134 Shepard Street.

The 1938 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps showed 9 Olsen Terrace as a three-story, frame building (see map 54, image 63 of 80). Morris' previous residence on Blossom Street was only about a block away.

The red marker on the following map shows the approximate location of 9 Olsen Place within the broader area of Lynn and close to the ocean.

2. Zavel (or Zanvel) was Morris' brother. Shavuos (or Shavuot) is the anniversary of the Jewish people receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai. It starts on 6 Sivan each year. In 1913, the eve (erev) of the holiday fell on 10 June (Gregorian calendar, used in the United States) and 28 May in Russia (Julian calendar).

3. The words in brackets are likely in Russia. I have not been able to determine their meaning. If any reader can identify the words and their meaning, please provide a message, below. I will appreciate any expertise in this matter.

4. Yom Tov: literally, good day. It refers to a Jewish holiday - in this case, Shavuos.

5. The meaning of this "percent" or "bond" is not clear. In previous letters, Levi Yitzkhak was concerned about the family raising the 300 ruble fine required because Morris was in the United States and would not report for the Russian military draft when he was called at the age of 21. It is possible that the 100 cited was put away for that purpose.

6. Feiga (Morris' older sister), Shakhna (Feiga's husband), and Sarah (another of Morris' sisters).