Vienna 29 June 1939         ב"ה   

 

My precious dear childעמ"ש

We were very happy with your letter and thank השי"ת  that you have met such dear, good people. I am pleased that you have already seen so much and that you have come to such a Jewish neighbourhood. I hope that you will have a better opportunity to earn something there. I would advise you, so long as you have no work, not to run around and travel around so much. You should rather use the time to rest. I don’t understand why you are going to Recha again on Thursday when you were already there on Monday. Going out too much does not create a good impression. I also don’t know how Tuli had time on a weekday to spend an afternoon with you? After all, he wrote to us that he only has time on Friday afternoon. Does he perhaps not take his learning seriously enough?  You should clean his jacket for him or, if he has money, have it cleaned.

I am also not very delighted with Feigale תחי'. I see no purpose in her sitting at Gusti’s תחי'. If it were in some way possible for her either to learn English and Hebrew so that she can earn something in Palestine by writing, or to try to find a possibility of earning over there. What and how I cannot of course say from here. Firstly, I would like to ease Gusti’s תחי' burden. Secondly, there is absolutely no reason for an unberufen healthy, sensible girl to be living on charity without earning a cent. Please write to me your opinion about this.

What you heard about Mrs. Mansohn is, sadly, true. There are many hundreds there. השי"ת 1 should free all of them speedily and protect us from all evil. 

What do you do all day? About ourselves we still do not know anything.  השי"ת1 should help.  Perhaps you could do something for Zwiנ"י .  Would it not be possible to obtain a place for him in a ישיבה or hostel somewhere, and to find a guarantor?  Discuss it with the rabbi, perhaps. Could not Sabine Pinter offer you some advice about this through her brother? At this time we consider this the most important thing.

Dear Feigale תחי' should not misunderstand me. I am not, G-d forbid, reproaching her. Nor am I ungrateful. I know that the most important thing is that you are ב"ה out and safe.  Nevertheless it is in your best interest either to resume your previous profession or, if that does not work, to take up something else. The times are serious and hard.

Heartiest kisses. Best regards to my other children when you see them.  Be healthy and happy.      

Your Mama

 

ב"ה

I too send you best regards my dear child.  Do not forget what I told you.  You should say a blessing after every meal, recite the Shema in the evening and also say the blessings every morning. 

Your father who hopes to hear good news from you.

Your dear Father שליט"א has asked me to write to you that you should not fast on the fast day this T[uesday] because [you] were [il]l.

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        The letter is addressed to Sara.

        Hashem yisborach – G-d, may He be blessed.

        Wife of R Dovid Weinstock’s brother Berel.

        A word used to ward off any bad luck associated with mentioning something positive.

        R Dovid and Chaye’s fourth child, then living with Chaye’s parents in Nitra.

        Yeshiva.

        The sister of Rabbi Schmelke Pinter, both from Vienna.

        Part of the evening prayers.