Some letters are from Hillel Talerman and his mother Malka Danziger Talerman to Abe Paris and his wife, Malka's sister, Mary Danziger Paris. They were written from Toronto, Canada, to Abe and his family in Cleveland in around 1949 (we guess).
Thanks to Jonathan Geffner and Richard Kaiser for the translations. Here are the images of the original handwritten letters in Yiddish, followed translators' rendering in English with idioms explained. Finally there are notes by Susan and David J.
1947 July 2 -- Hilel Talerman to Abe Paris and family.
1948 January 20 DOC054 -- Hilel Telerman to Abe Paris and family.
1949 approx.-- Frayndla Paris Weitzman to Abe Paris and family
1957 11 Nov -- DOC050 Genia/Gitel Paris Beer to Abe Paris
1958 21 June --
1986 21 May -- Hilel Telerman's headstone
DOC046 - from Hillel Telerman of 237 Grace Street, Toronto, ONT, Canada.
DOC 046 ….. Page 1 -- translation by Richard Kaiser. There is a later translation below.
Dear brother, Abraham Paris, it has already been a year since we received a letter from you and we sent you a reply. Until today we have not received any writing from you and we believe that you will write our …… for …. and you will search for . dear brother … regarding Mordechai, he made … with his daughter, Freydal and a Palestinian man, who he is sending away to Palestine, … have, he was fortunate because he came … … and now I am writing you about me. You have yourself in ….
…. made by my children. I can write you regarding my oldest daughter, Zelda, that I have currently placed her in a Shidduch (an arranged marriage) that I managed to get for 200 dollars and began the … by me in order to better our situation today. It is very bad that even if not … to take with there … and who …. there … with a Shidduch for my Zelda, even if impossible … we are so unfortunate that no one has anyone to help them here to enable people to obtain from
DOC 046 ….. Page 2
America. Such support could assist them in their business and what … concern with assistance regarding the Shidduch. And from you, when you came the other time … that you became poverty stricken and were unable to help. Today, in the American newspaper, it is written that conditions are bad and it is possible that in your situation … better that that she doesn’t have time to write an entire … no letter. And who even knows what is happening here with us, the 2 brothers and 2 older sisters, and we see, ourselves, that people do not sit themselves down to write a letter. One does not ask oneself … what can … perhaps my support is creeping. Perhaps you can, with assistance … be … “man does not live for himself alone”. One has brothers and sisters to support a relationship and to write what they wish to know. It is not even in your nature to be involved with the Shidduch with which my daughter is involved. I say that I will write there, to America. They do not have my … until the time in which a reply will be given. See … Receive the
DOC 046 ….. Page 3
letter immediately answered. If not, then even I, who is certainly not near, will find out … provide the entire … follow me. You know my husband well. He will not himself…. no shoe items should be combined and with everyone, he will … wanted this without driving, forbid it, that you should give me, in its entirety … But, in this situation, you act on my behalf to resolve the situation. I am, the while, writing you a letter asking that you take a sister and also a brother to America and G-d should help me … should come to pass. Believe me, that I am not writing you so much. Here, empty trouble is erupting and, not wishing to remain silent, we are responding immediately. You should immediately write me that everything is out. Also that which you held for us, one can … I will be unable to write. I am sending my regards to you and your loving wife and little children.
They should live. We will not see … sister, Hanah Freemat Rosenburg, my husband and my dear little children should live. I am sending my regards to you and your loving wife and little children. They should live.
DOC 046 ….. Page 4
To my … beloved brother and mother-in- law … Brother, as a beginning of my writing … I want it known, regarding our loving memory of you, that we should hear only good things. That which our sister wrote you regarding the other side, this is a thing that … remember it by heart, that our dear sister had a very … while not for Ontario with his … also he can see that it doesn’t work … he will not go shopping for bread at home, he only brings it home for our sister. He should only eat it away. He doesn’t inquire much from where she brought it. Everything helps. With how much you can, you should know that with all of us, all is not good but we sharing what we have. We have become more like our loving father had said. During your life, a person does not have to worry about how thing are going at home. However, our sister, can provide no advice!
And dear brother, write us how things are going with your dear young children and what our dear sister … with health also send regards to his wife and small
Jack Ontz (?), Remember your entire household …………………… Pariz.
=======
DOC046 translation by Jonathan Geffner, from Kopel Paris/Pariz to his brother Abe Paris.
Dear brother Avrom (Abraham) Paris,
It’s been already a year since we received a letter from you and we wrote answers to you, and until today we have not received any writing. And we believe that what I am writing now will interest you. And you will certainly answer, dear brother.
I am notifying you that Khayim Mordkhe (Chaim Mordecai) has signed a marriage agreement for his daughter Freydl with a Palestinian man. He is sending her away to Palestine to get married. He carried this out successfully, because he will not need to pay a dowry.
And now I’ll write about myself: you wrote in one of your letters – when you wrote – asking about whether I have married off my children. So I can tell you that I am now negotiating a match (“shiddekh”) for my eldest daughter, Zelda, which I could finalize for two hundred dollars. And this is beginning to touch me, but unfortunately, today things are very bad for us – so bad that there is not even a way to make a living, not to mention being able to pay for a marriage for my Zelda, which is certainly impossible. Mainly we are unhappy that we have no one to turn to for help.
People have received from America the help they needed to put them back on their feet and the help they needed for a match (“shiddekh”). And from you we received at that time a letter saying that you have actually become a poor man and can not help us. Today even the newspaper is writing that things are bad in America, and it can possibly be that for you things are actually quite good, and you just haven’t had time to write a letter for a whole year. And to want to know what’s going on with us. You have here two brothers and two sisters, both older and younger. What kind of a person doesn’t make time to sit down and write a letter and ask what’s going on, and think “maybe you need my help”. And to think that maybe you can be helpful.
People don’t live just for themselves. When you have brothers and sisters you need to be in contact, and to write and to want to know. It’s not even in your nature to be this way. Regarding the match that I am negotiating for my daughter, I promise that I will write to you in detail about it to America, but it’s not necessary. I expect that it will take four weeks to receive an answer. So you should answer me immediately upon receiving this letter, because if you don’t, I might even, God forbid, kill myself.
You know, of course, very well that the whole yoke lies on my shoulders. You know very well that my husband will not get involved in anything at all. And with every fiber of my being I would like to see this through – not, God forbid, that you should give me all the assistance. But in this case, you are obligated to be helpful to me. I am simultaneously writing a letter to a sister of Binyomen, and also a brother, in America. And may God help me. Believe me, I cannot write so much to you. You need to read between the lines and not remain silent, and answer me promptly. You should write to me soon about everything that is going on with you. I cannot hope to write anything better than that.
I greet you and your dear wife and children, God bless them. From me, your not-forgotten sister, Khane (Chana/Hannah) Primet-Rozenboym (Rosenbaum). My husband and my dear little children, God bless them, send greetings to you and your dear wife and little children, God bless them!
Page 4: (illegible word at top)
To my very beloved brother and sister-in-law, and brother’s children,
First off in this letter I want to let you know about our good health. It is also good to hear what our sister has just written to you on the other side of this paper. This is something that you already know by heart, something in which our dear brother-in-law has never taken an interest. That’s his fate, and also he can now see that there is no bread in the home, so he cannot go to sleep. He just waits until our sister brings it to him. He sits himself down and eats. He doesn’t ask where she got the food.
So, help us as much as you can. You should know that for all of us here, our situation is not good. But we share whatever we have around us. Just as our dear father, may he rest in peace, used to say to us when he was alive, “A person does not need to worry about how things are going for him”. However, our sister is at her wit’s end, trying to figure out what to do.
My dear brother, write to us how you are, and how are your dear little children, and how is our dear sister-in-law’s health.
My wife and I and our little children greet you and your entire household with great friendliness.
Kopel Pariz (Paris)
===============
DOC048.... Letter from Genia/Gitel Paris Beer in Montreal to Abe Paris in Cleveland, Ohio dated 1957
Page 1
========
DOC048
Montreal 11 Nov. 1957
Dear Uncle,
I am grateful to have received your letter and also your enclosed pictures and check. I am also very thankful, but I want to beg you, in the future, to write letters to me, but don’t send me any money, because I make a living, thank God, and absolutely do not need any (financial) support.
I am very pleased and happy that we will soon see each other. And my Max asks, “When will I see Uncle?” He is a very handsome and intelligent boy, and the uncle will enjoy grabbing a chat with him.
If the uncle has a picture of my father, may he rest in peace, or a family picture, send it over to me and I will need to make a reproduction, and I will send the original picture back to you with my thanks. From my sister I received very good letters. Her second son got married and she is already a grandma. Nothing else is unusual, and we are all, thank God, healthy.
I send hearty greetings and kisses to you, and a hearty greeting to your husband and children. My husband and Max send a greeting to you.
[The writer of this letter signs it in a diminutive form of Genia - “Genishe”. ]
===========DOC049
Translated by Richard
Kaiser
DOC049
DOC 049 ….. Page 1
Translation by Jonathan Geffner
First part from Hillel Talerman
I received the fifty dollars today, for which I thank you with great appreciation. With this money, I bought a coat for myself. That cost me 42 dollars. And the fact that Khanele’s son wants to send me his things, that is very nice of him.
But now that I am in Canada, I don’t need to have old things. Because people don’t wear old clothing here. These items would have come in handy when I was in Germany. In Germany people were very pleased when they received old items from their families.
Now I am writing to you (to tell you that) I need to buy underwear, shoes, and also a suit...that’s called a “suit”. [He first writes the Yiddish word for suit – “ontsug” -, then explains that it is called a “suit” in English.] And also other things that I will need.
But I don’t have any money. And I beg you, if possible, to send me some money so that I can go shopping. I believe that you will help me. [yes, he uses the word for “believe” rather than “hope”]
And tell me whether my dear Aunt Khanele reads my letters, because when I was in Germany she did not write to me, and I don’t know what was the reason. And my dear... [the next word looks phoneticially like “Zozin”, which is not a Yiddish word. Perhaps he meant to write “kuzin” which means cousin, and mis-spelt it? Although Velvo was his uncle, not cousin. Was Zozin another name/nickname for Velvo??? ]...Velvo and also Phillip apparently have no time to write a couple of words.
When it is possible, send me my uncle...[Willy’s?] Danzig address, because I don’t have his address.
I would very much like to see you, but I cannot come to you, because I don’t have a right to leave Canada. But I hope that you can come to me and we will be able to talk about everything. And I will explain to you everything you want to know.
And write to me how you all are, in regard to your health. And also write to uncle Velvo in Florida. I end my writing now with my best wishes for everybody.
Your nephew, who yearns to see you as soon as possible.
======= DOC049 Part 2
From Rivka Danziger Szrek's daughter Chana-Ita to her mother's sister Mary/Miriam Danziger Paris.
Hilel mentions somewhere that someone is now calling herself Chana Ayta.
Translation by Jonathan Geffner.
=====================Hilel mentions somewhere that someone is now calling herself Chana Ayta.
Translation by Jonathan Geffner.
Dear Marma,
I am taking the liberty of calling you Marma, just as I called you when I was a child. True, decades have passed between then and now, but I don’t believe you have forgotten who I am. The person writing this letter to you is Khane-Ita, the girl who was with you in Melodshinitz(?) Because I never forgot you.
I remember everything, even when your husband Avrohom [Abraham] left Melodshinitz. Leaving your home and your dear father, he crossed over the border. And to me, as the girl that I was at the time, you said to me, Marishma, that if anyone ever asks me about Avrohom I should say nothing. And so, I said nothing. And have remained silent all this time.
I believe that forty years have already passed, but I could never forget the sweet youthful years that we spent together in Melodshinitz. How happy and cozy those times were! When you, Marma, and Malkele and Velvo, when all of you came home for Shabbes [Sabbath] , I even remember your songs that you used to sing when we all went out into the field to get some fresh air. Yes, that is a beautiful dream that will never be forgotten. [in the previous translation, “dream” was mistaken for “tears”.]
In truth, many years have passed. We have lived through various times and we are still here. We are spread across the entire world. In truth, we must be satisfied, that our fate has brought us to this point. So today we must thank God that we are on this side of the ocean, I, in Canada.
I must again remind you again that I am Khane-Ita, your Nusn sister’s daughter. [Apparently she means “I am the daughter of your sister who is married to Nusn.”] Tell me if you remember me. And I must return to what I was writing, that I am in Canada, in Toronto. And Fate has determined that your sister Malkele’s son has, through the grace of God, come to Toronto. We didn’t recognize him, but it was pre-destined that my husband would locate him. But how? That would take too long to explain. If you write a reply to this letter I will explain everything to you.
I believe that I have already written too much. But I want to write to you, Marml [she uses the diminutive form of Marma here], so you will know that your sister Malkele’s boy is a very dear boy. If he would be placed among a hundred boys and you came here and took a look, you would quickly identify him, because he looks like your sister Malkele.
[ the “shoe” in the previous translation was a mis-reading of the Yiddish word for Fate].
Notes by Susan Paris.
1. This
sentence is confusing. "I remember that even when your husband, Abraham
left Molidchinitz, your home, and he transported your daughter over the
border". Is Malke addressing her sister/my grandmother Mary Danziger
Paris and referring to Abraham Paris who left Molidchinitz, his and
Mary's home, and transported Mary's daughter (a daughter she may have
had in Poland before she married Abraham Paris?) over the border? Is it
possible that Mary Danziger was married to someone else prior to her
marriage to Abraham Paris? That's what it sounds like to me. Maybe
husband Number One died. Maybe this daughter died as well.
2.
"Aunt Ida, the girl who was with you in Molidchinitz" -- the bottom of
page one written by Hillel.
.....
4. Chana-Ita had a husband. She was married, to whom? Toczynski? Did Rivka's daughter make it to Canada? I hope we find the mentioned letter that might clear up whether the writer got to Canada.
4. Chana-Ita had a husband. She was married, to whom? Toczynski? Did Rivka's daughter make it to Canada? I hope we find the mentioned letter that might clear up whether the writer got to Canada.
5. Visit from Beers to Talermans.
6.
I don't know if these two letters were written and sent together to:
"Dear Uncle and Aunt (Abe and Mary Paris) and also Aunt Chana and your
dear son Phillip:" Wasn't Phillip already married by then? What about
Chana's other children not mentioned in this letter…and husband?
.....
7.
Max Beer of Montreal had mentioned to me that there were a number of
American and Canadian Jewish relief and aid organizations, volunteer
groups and governmental agencies that provided various services and
benefits for the thousands of immigrants who were welcomed to the
country after the war. I hope that the Telerman family was finally able
to connect and receive the help they so sorely needed.
=========================
July 2, ‘47 - translated Jonathan Geffner.
My dear uncle, aunt and cousins,
I can write to you that I am healthy. At the end of the month of June I was in Poking, two hundred kilometers from Landsberg. I had traveled to Poking to see Genia(?) Beer with her husband and child. They treated me very well; I was very happy that I had traveled to see them.
I could not stay long in Poking, because I had to return to Landsberg* the same day. I did not know Genia because she lived in Shidlovitz(?**). Her parents and sister and all her brothers lived in Radom, so I knew all of them.
One thing I can tell you is that the Beer family are very nice people. They have a handsome little son, Max Beer, may he be healthy and strong.
But Genia is very worried because she has received very few letters from you. In fact, during this whole time she only received one letter. And she would be very happy if you would send her pictures of yourselves. It’s possible that in the near future I will have the opportunity to travel to visit them.
I don’t have any more news to write about. I wish the family much luck and health.
Hillel Tellerman* http://data.jewishgen.org/wconnect/wc.dll?jg~jgsys~community~-502540
Górowo Iławeckie, Poland
|
** http://data.jewishgen.org/wconnect/wc.dll?jg~jgsys~community~-532405
Szydłowiec, Poland
|
DOC054: Letter of 20 January, 1948, from Hilel Talerman to his uncle Abe Paris in Cleveland.
DOC 054 ….. Page 1
20, January 1948
My dear Uncle and Tante and Cousins,
I received your letter. I was very pleased that I spoke with you by telephone. You wish to know why I did not come to Canada. There were German registration (emigration) options that would have provided tailors the possibility to travel out of (leave) Germany. Such registration is (made to appear) much more (than it is) and nothing came of it. Three months prior, the same thing also occurred when I registered for Canada. And this had cost me … a lot. And I was also responsible for my friends’ money. And I did not return the money that I had borrowed. I (eventually) arrived in Canada without money, without laundry and I don’t have an over coat. Without any …. and I have no shoes. I am very much in need of your help, the faster the better. And if you wish to come to me, I would be very pleased and fortunate to see you. But I plead with you …. to disregard (cancel) coming (at this time) because it is very cold and you are no longer young people.
DOC 054 ….. Page 2
I feel very well and uplifted when I have my health and for me, this is the minimum (requirement). Since Nissan, I have been near sister’s children. Hannah Ita. She calls herself Hannah Ayta. And along with Hannah Ayta’s brother, they are very good people to Amir. After my work, I am with them. When Hannah Ayta was a young girl, she was (stayed) with Myer Danziger. She worked for them. Therefore, she knows you very well. I mean that you will remember her. Write me if you can help me with money. If you feel you are well enough and if you can come to me, I will be very pleased and fortunate to see you. I am sending everyone my heartfelt regards and I wish you all the best of health.
Your nephew, Hilel Telerman.
===============================================
Letter from Genia PARIS Beer to Abe Paris and family.
Montreal, 19 June 1957
Montreal, 19 June 1957
Dear uncle and family. I received, thankfully, your letter. Forgive me that I did not respond to your letter promptly. I lived through a difficult case of influenza. But I already feel a little better.
Everything is okay by me. And the uncle can relax. I gave my address and not my husband’s, so that you would, God willing, be able to quickly orientate yourself to the fact that the letter is from me. The name “Paris” will, of course, sound to you closer and more homey than the name “Beer”.
I still live in the same place. My “Max” is already a big, handsome boy. He is in the fifth grade and goes to a Hebrew school. And he remembers very well when you were here, thank God, and took him “downtown”. So, if, God willing, it will be “Christmas” time here, he will be the main customer. *
I have a great desire to travel to Israel and visit my sister. Next spring there will be an excursion. It will cost six hundred dollars, aside from incidental expenses. So it will cost quite a lot, but I really want to visit my sister. My husband is not opposed to that.
I am waiting impatiently for you to come here, God willing. And my sister is, of course, the closest one in my family.
Greetings and kisses to you in the most heartfelt way. My husband and Max send greetings to you, as well as the entire family.
Genia
* She uses the word “merchant” but from context she must mean “customer/shopper”.
==================
To my dear uncle, aunt and family,
I read your letter with great joy and pleasure. Your letter provided me with great joy, and my sister also writes that she loves you so much, just like she loves our father. Because you should know that we loved our father very much. And my sister writes to me that she was very happy to see all of you, and that you paid for the food and bought her beautiful presents, and also even gave her a couple of dollars.
My dear uncle, I don’t want any money from you. I only want you to answer every letter that I will write, and not keep me waiting too long for an answer.
My family is comprised of three sons and one daughter. Two are married. The older daughter has two daughters – one is six years old and the second is 2 years old. She is named after my mother, Rokhl-Leah.
And my youngest son is named Khayim-Mordkhe. I think my sister told you all about this. I have successful, good children.
I’m sending you the picture of my eldest son. Seven years ago he got married. In the next letter I will send you [a picture] of my younger son with his wife. With each letter I will include another picture, because together it will be too heavy. I believe that you would like to see everyone. I’ll also send you [a picture] of me and my husband, but later.
My sister tells me that your children are not poor, so they should give you money to come here to visit my family . A lot of tourists come here from all over the world. I would also like to see you. It will just cost you for the trip, because you write to me that you would also like to visit my family.
And what you write about your being sick, that makes me feel sick to my heart. And now tell me how your are feeling, because I only want to receive good letters from you.
Believe me, Uncle, whenever I reminisce about home I begin to weep about what the Germans did to the Jewish people.
Living together with me are Dvoyre – Perl’s mother-in-law – and a brother of Zisman [Zusman?]. He has been here since before the war. He has a wife and two children - a married daughter and one son. I heard that his wife has family in America and here in Haifa. She also has her sister’s son. Write me whether you have any letters from them.
I’ll end my letter with heart-felt greetings to all of you. May you all be healthy.
From me, your brother’s daughter,
Frayndl Vaytsman [phonetically]
========
Montreal, 21 Jun 1958
DOC053
Montreal, 21 Jun 1958
DOC053
25 April 2016.
We asked that a photo of Hilel Talerman's headstone be sent. Jim Emery of the
Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks asked Howard Mammon to take this photo.
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