Letters from Dotnuva

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Letters from Dotnuva (cont.)

Translated by Sara Mages

Edited by Yocheved Klausner

Dotnuva 22 October 1935*

To Shulamit'l lots of greetings!
Yesterday at half eleven we received a telegram from you. Honestly we did not expect to receive it because Tuesday already passed and we did not have news, then we thought that it will be necessary to wait for a letter. While I was sitting next to the stove at home, and mother and father and Miriam were in the hall, I heard something unusual was happening there. Honestly, my heart sensed from the silence that was coming from there, that there was something new. I entered and there was Branovitch standing with a telegram in his hand. A real telegram like a letter with 23 words but with one disadvantage (to my great sorrow) it was written in English. What to do? We don't understand. I only understood the last word Freida. Immediately mother ran to Sara-Ruchel and she translated it to Yiddish – a little confused, but more or less correct.
Later Zelda returned from Keidan and she explained it well. This is the version. 'I arrived safely, the passage was excellent, uncle and aunt are well and sending you greetings and love. We thank you for your dedication and love.'
Shulamit, how do you feel in your new place? What kind of impression your new life leaves on you, and what kind of treatment do you get from our relatives? What kind of impression does the noisy bustling New-York have on you? Isn't your city big (this is how I portray it). Write me about everything because you know very well how interesting it is to know about everything that is happening in the big wide world.
Now it is necessary to write you a little of what is happening here (maybe you are no longer interested to know about us after you arrived to the big city. This week we put in the double windows because it is already a bit cold over here. We also pickled cabbage for the winter. We had a whole production here, and we had a lot of leftover cabbage when we finished pickling. When it will be ready to eat we will have a party. It will probably take place during the days of Hanukah, and then also Moshe will come home for the holiday. When we received the telegram we immediately wrote postcards to Moshe and Leah to tell them the good news.

Yesterday Eta returned from Kovno by bus and brought a lot of things. Leah sent me leather for my coat, I gave them to the Jewish tailor in Keidan to sew. Next week I will travel to try it and later I will travel to Kovno to see Leah.
Leah is safe and sound, she is working and doing well. I sent her money to buy short stockings for herself. I could have written you more but mother is shouting that it is time to go and light the candles and not everything is ready for Shabat. At the same time she is asking for my opinion if Aunt Mary is preparing something for the Shabat. I say that she is, but the truth is that I'm not interested in that. I forgot something important. Leah found the dress at the seamstress, only the sleeves are missing. Dina Rubinstein told her that when you were in Paris you did not deliver the package that they gave you, is it true? Write the reason. I am also sending a letter to Shoshanna today. Yesterday we received greetings from her through Ita-Resha. Shimon wrote that he gave her the package. He wrote about her that she is a lively beautiful young woman. Greetings to you from Eta Perale and from everyone. Zelda is sending you a special greeting.
Cordial greetings to aunt and uncle, how are they? Are they happy with the guest that came to them? Greetings from Miriam, I don't have the time to write her. Greetings from our aunt, she says that if she knew how to write she would have asked you a lot of questions – what a pity. What about your legs, are they still hurting? What did you see when you traveled in the world? In Paris, in the ship. Be healthy and write a lot of frequent long letters, then I will also write. I will answer according to what you write.
Maybe it is not fair to our aunt that I write you in Hebrew not in Yiddish. Translate my letter to her but in a nicer style then mine. For sure the Americans are used to a polite style.
Your sister who loves you with all of her heart,

Pessie

* The date written in Pessie's letter is October but according to the contents and in comparison to other letters it was written in November.

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