Motya Tsfasman, Manya’s younger brother
[written on Ukranian ledger sheet]
Poltava, June 25, 1932
Good Day Motya,
Zhenya recently gave me a letter from you (I don=t understand how you forget my address). For some reason, she kept this letter for more than three weeks and my mother and I were annoyed at you for not writing to us, like I think that you are now. I will start to tell you as much as I have time about all our suburban news. First, about myself. I am now a second year student and in summer I will be a third year student. The Party cell gave permission for me to advance to the third year. But I=m not happy about that. My mood is bad. I lose weight like the devil. I=m terribly overtired. When I came home yesterday, I had a bloody nose. I didn=t go to the Institute today because I am very weak. Life is awful here. I get four hundred grams of bread, and that is good. Others get fifty grams. Can you imagine that? The intelligentsia beg for bread in the streets like beggars. Overall, it=s bad. I am not transferred yet to the worst major. I=ll put the question like this: either I will be in [tarovic] or in financial papers. By April 1, everything will become clear. Enough about myself. About Zhenya. We had some difficulties with her. We had the party at Mishka=s. Of course, a liter of vodka, horse sausage and onion. Mishka invited Freydlen and Zhenya, and I invited Liduska. Can you imagine what was going on??! Zhenya didn=t visit me after that. She said, AI don=t want to see him any more.@ And your letter stayed with her. Then, she gave up and came. What else to write to you? By the First, the sound cinema will be open here, just like you have (?). Overall, boring, boring. Almost forgot a most important thing. Mishka was taken out of school and they sent him to the army. This is common practice here now. They take from the school and send to the army. He is terribly upset. That=s enough. I have a headache. How about you? Do you go to school or work? How about Mother? Very warm and deep wishes to her. Don=t be angry. Write about everything in detail. Don=t think I forgot about you. My address is: Shevchenkovskaya 19th for me. Write to me. I shake you paw. Yours Yura [friend of Motya]
Zurav 