since Yisroel was taken into a camp,³³⁴ we are suffering terribly. May the
blessed Lord help so that we may see our only brother in good health at home.
He does hard labour and stands in water without shoes and in ragged clothes
in such cold weather. How happy we will be if we see him return home from
there in good health. How bitter my life is when I see him with my own eyes
standing at his terrible work. We could not free him from there because
we did not have anything with which to do so. I was happy when I brought
him food every day and managed to get a job in a village near the camp, and
I dug potatoes and could give him some food, whereas now I can no longer
even do that for him because there is no work in the village and I can’t take
food to him from home because I don’t have any and we’re left without shoes
and I can’t go there without shoes as I did the entire summer because it’s
already very cold here and terribly muddy, and it’s a distance of 24 kilometres
there and back.
[2] At present we’re living under terrible conditions, in a word, we’re
starving. When 2 kilos of bread costs 14 zlotys, we can only look at it. And we
are distraught that we can’t take any food to Yisroel even though he endures
hunger and pain there. It’s a miracle how we are getting through these days.
We are starving and suffering terribly. We have written to our uncle in
Otwock³³⁵ several times, but unfortunately received no reply. One letter was
returned to us and we no longer know his address. We are unfortunate people,
exposed to hunger and privation and, living in a place like this, our lives
are at risk daily. It is a great miracle that we are still alive. We have twice
recited gomel.³³⁶ At present, we are living in a shop which is dangerous for my
respected father and mother. It’s a storefront shop in the market. We immediately
asked to be given a small place somewhere else, but there was none
available and it’s a danger for a Hasid to live in a shop here because it’s only
for the Jews that life is dangerous in every respect and we are suffering very
much. We beg for mercy, to be saved.
We are starving and are in terrible misery. It’s worse for us now because
of our beloved parents, who look very unwell. My respected father is sick and
334 Probably one of several camps on the Wieprz River. See Forced Labour Camps (forthcoming).
335 Otwock (Warsaw County)
336 The blessing recited in a synagogue after escaping great danger, not later than three days after the event.
