March 29, 1940
Vilna, Poland [now Vilnius, Lithuania]

Dear Sasha:

Today, we sent you a package with the things that you asked for: two sports shirts, handkerchiefs, socks, bread and lard. You probably already received the package from the 13th of March. We also sent you a few postcards. We received your letter and cards. I see you are doing pretty well. It is good that you write often.

You asked for more letters from me. Dear Sasha, with pleasure I will write you more often. But first of all, you should understand that I can't write so much. I just don't have that much to write about. And it is not so easy for me to write long letters in Polish or in German. I think that you won't be able to appreciate everything that I will write. But to give you something to read I will try hard to fill up these pages.

Yes, dear Sasha, it has been a whole year since you left us. During that year both you and we have had many experiences. But it is good that we are alive and are able to correspond with each other. And the day will come when we will see each other again.

That day will be the happiest day in our lives and in the lives of your parents. You can't imagine how much we and your parents worried until we had that first letter from you, and had the news that you were alive. Many people from Vilna had already come back, and we hadn't had any news from you. But we didn't give up hope. And then one beautiful day we received your first postcard.

On that day Sonia [Shep's sister], Bluma [Meier's wife] and I were in the business. We all cried from happiness and read your card many times. You can't picture the happiness of your Mother and Father on that day. Now, a few months have passed. We live with the hope that one day we will see each other again. And I hope that we don't have to wait too long for it.

About your friends, I will inform you that Churgin [Izka Churgin, Shep's best friend from childhood] is in Vilna. Doba saw him yesterday and asked him to write to you. He promised that on Saturday he will come to us to get your address. Frid was transported together with the Elecktric factory to Minsk.

Doba is in Vilna, and she will also write. Today, we received a postcard from Mrs. Gelfand in which she writes that she received a letter from her husband.

Dear Sasha, please write and tell us why Aronowitz [Yutka Aronowitz survived the war] writes so little. Today his aunt, Fania Schwartz was here and she cried a lot. Please ask him to write more often. Also, write and tell us what you need, and your parents will send it.

For now, I have to end this letter because I have stomach pains. For a long time I have had an ulcer. Next time, I will write more. Your Father and Mother send their best regards. Regards also from Bluma, the children and the in-laws.

Be Healthy.

Your cousin, Meier