22 March 1944

 

My dear uncle עמ"ש.

Thank you very much for the money you sent me (£10). I visited my Aunt Chana Hinda תח' last week in Magdiel, and I learned of it there. The aunt תח' did not inform me of it earlier because she was waiting for me to come there all the time. When I was in Magdiel I read the detailed letter you wrote to my aunt, and I also spoke with her about supporting me during the time of my future study.

I think that at the present time it is not worthwhile sending me money from England at all, since, as you surely know, the value of money here is very low, less than half of what it is where you are. And I thought it would surely be more worthwhile [to sell] the small amount of woollen merchandise that is here, that my mother תח' sent here, and especially now that wool is very valuable here. I hope that the money we can get for the wool will suffice for my needs at present, as I will not need much money in total אי"ה.

You too have surely seen the letters that I wrote to my brother and sisters in which I described my life on the Kibbutz and my plans for the future. Nonetheless, I will write to you in brief about my way of life here:

I have been on Kevutzat “Yavneh” for 8 months now. For the first four months I studied and prepared here for the matriculation exams, in order to be accepted to university. After the Sukkot holiday this year, I travelled to Jerusalem to take the exams, and ב"ה I passed them successfully. I was awarded second prize, which is a stipend for tuition fees. After the exams I returned to Yavneh for I need to work half a year here in practical agricultural labour before I enter the university to study agriculture. I find the work here to be nice and very interesting. I worked first for 2 months in the cowshed, and now I work in the chicken coop raising chicks and chickens. After the upcoming Passover I will move to Jerusalem אי"ה to study at Yeshivat Chevron. While half a year is a very brief time to devote to study of Torah, but nevertheless whatever I learn in this brief time will be to my benefit. At the beginning of 5705, I will begin to study at the university. The studies will take 4 years: two years in Jerusalem of theoretical agricultural studies, and two years in Rechovot – working at the experimental agricultural station.

And thus, for the time that I am here, I have everything I need from the Kibbutz. And while I am studying at the Yeshiva I hope to receive all I need from the Yeshiva’s funds, and perhaps I will need a little money for minor needs. The main question begins from the time that I begin to study at the university. Then I will already need to support myself, since the stipend I have been awarded only covers tuition fees. I think that from this description you can gain an accurate picture of my status and my path in the future.

How are you? Have you received any word from my mother תח'? I am sorry to inform you that I have not received any word from my mother תח' for nearly two years.

Heartfelt regards to Aunt Rechtzi תח'. How are the children? Write to me occasionally. I would be very happy to hear details about Mattel and Moshe שיחי'. And if you are able to also send me some [picture]  of you and of the children, you would cause me great pleasure.

Regards from Aunt Chana Hinda תח' and from the Mosel family. They are doing well ב"ה. I visit them occasionally, on occasions of festivals and Jewish holidays.

If you happen to meet Naftali נ"י, tell him that I received the money that he sent me, and I will write to him specifically regarding this.

Yours with heart and soul,

Zwi

I wish you a happy and kosher Pesach. May G-d grant that we should all merit to meet up soon with the arrival of the day of redemption.

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       Berl Weinstock.

       September 1944.