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Kayman Letter 03: By Dawid (Yedidi) Sosnowski

Written to his brother-in-law Lozer Kajman in Australia (Lozer's wife Zelda nee Rozental was Yedidi's wife Rywka's sister)

Szczuczyn, June 23, 1937

Letter with no envelope


Dear brother and sister-in-law and children,

Thank you for your letter which I received today. Your father has just been here and told me that he just posted a letter to you. Obviously I let him read your letter and suggested that he writes another page which I will include in the envelope which I shall post to you air mail.

Contact me for full letter

       

Dawid (Yedidi)
Sosnowski

       

We are grateful to God that you managed to leave our 'Golden state.' May we be spared of what is happening since Saturday in Chenstochov [Czestochowa - 234 miles SW of Szczuczyn?], it was a lot worse than in Brisk [Brest Litovsk, Belarus, 117 miles SSE of Szczuczyn?]. The small township and around Chenstochov suffered the same fate. May God have mercy on the Jewish people and let it end.

I believe that we too are coming closer to a decision. Father can see what is happening all around and is fearful for his life and possessions. Eventually we will write to you and ask you that we all can depart to wherever is possible as long as we can escape from here.

There is no other news. We are very depressed and afraid of 'the sound of a fallen leaf' [this quote is rendered in perfect Hebrew]. We are envious of you that you managed to leave all that behind. May God help you to find happiness there. You certainly did not err by leaving and you should be confident. Hopefully we may be able to recall these times in a state of repose.

[L]: Zelda (nee Rozental) and
Lozer Kajman, Szczuczyn, 1930
[R] Melbourne, Australia, 1942,
with children Norman and Morrie

Your sister-in-law Gutke [nee Rozental] and her husband were struck down [not exactly sure what this means] on Saturday night. It is good to know who they really are. They are alive and have not cleared life's hurdles. Let that be your last worry from Poland. We will see who will finish up better, they here, or you there in a free country full of promise.

I would have continued writing but it is getting late for posting this letter. I'm on my own, the parents are in Bialystok. As you know people are dropping in which prevented me from writing earlier. Be healthy and happy,

Yedidi

Regards from your parents and friends. If possible please write to us during the journey.


Letter contributed by Selina Kayman.

Translation from Yiddish to English by Israel Kipen.
Edited by: Selina Kayman and Jose Gutstein.
Editor's notes are entered in [brackets].

Copyright © 2004 by Jewish Holocaust Museum & Research Centre in Australia, Selina Kayman and Jose Gutstein.
All rights reserved to the original letter and the translation.

   Return to Shtetl Life; Szczuczyners, Part 7