My dear little Fred,

Yesterday Saturday afternoon I received your letter which made me very happy as I had already been waiting all week for news from you.  I already informed you that I received a letter from Mama from en route.  Since then I have received nothing.  It will probably take a while until the mail comes again.  The other wives whose husbands are here were almost all shipped off too by now, and it seems that, for the time being, we will be able to stay.  However, one does not know anything definite.  According to Lorle’s letter, the prospect exists now that you will be able to join her.  If this were true now, there would be something happy for Rosh Hashana.  You will have to catch up on the Yontefs[1], which you did not notice at all in your Home.  After all, you are still young

Albert wrote to me, that he can’t have you visit him right now as he does not know as yet how things stand with him.  However, he believes that, since your vacation is pretty long, you would still be able to come.  In case you get to Lorle in the meantime, then give up the visit with Albert.  He meant well but, because of higher authority, he was not able to carry out his intention.  On Monday I received a letter written by Margot on Friday.  I hope that she can stay.  However, girls of her age were shipped off, also young men who were in de Lastic were shipped off with the last transport.  They were about seven weeks in the Home in the Hautes Alpes.  Lorle isn’t 18 years old yet, and for the time being she is secure in the Swiss Home.

I congratulate you on the occasion of Rosh Hashana which is next Saturday and Sunday.  All of us have the same wish, to be delivered soon from our present circumstances.  Often throughout history people had to endure hard times and especially the Jews.  It is, of course, a great disadvantage to live at just such a time.  But since you are still young,  some day in your old age, you will be able to tell of the terrible times the likes of which have never been seen.  There was a Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), which took place all over Germany, but there were never such large armies.  At that time, the mercenaries went home for the winter, and in spring, the war started again.  Or the mercenaries went to the war lord who paid them the best.  In the wars that we studied in Jewish history, sometimes there were only a few thousand fighters on each side and now – now there are armies with millions.

Last year we “celebrated” Rosh Hashana in the Rivesaltes Camp, at least we were all together, and this year we are separated, but we do want to hope for a better future.  Write also to Opa and Aunt Vita and to me during Rosh Hashana, but address it to Opa.  You may send Mama’s birthday letter to me.  I shall get mail first and then I could send your letter a few days earlier than if I had to write to you first, that you should send it off.  It does not matter if the letter arrives late.  However, how long will we have to wait until we get mail from our dear ones, and where are they.  One still does not know this.  Some say in a collecting Camp near Paris, the others say, in Poland.

Our food: mainly green soup, but better than last year, tomato sauce with meat or sausage, Quaker soup (except on Sundays), then I get a supplement, that is in general meat with a tablespoonful of sauce (only fat).  In addition I buy: tomatoes 2 frs per Kg, pears, apples 10-14 frs, grapes 4.10 and 10.50, 13.50 per kg.  The cheap ones aren’t available every day, peaches, very big ones, 14.50 per kg.  Opportunity enough to get rid of money.  If the Americans (relatives in the Americas) would only send a few dollars a month.  I still don’t have the luggage that Mama left there.  I wrote about this to the OSE, to send everything directly to Lorle.  But when one can’t do it oneself, one isn’t served very well.  I wish you the best.  With regards and kisses,

Your PAPA

Enclosed Lorle’s letter.  We still have bedbugs.  If the letters leave sooner when you let them write the address, then do it like that all the time.