June 10, 1940
Vilna, Poland [now Vilnius, Lithuania]

Dear Saschenka [Little Sasha]:

Today, we received your letter of May 26. Now we are getting your answers to our postcards which we mailed several months ago through the Red Cross. Just now Noah is here in the business as I write this answer. Yesterday, Papa went to Kaunas for a few days.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were Shevuoth. Just as we counted the days of the Sifra, we count the days until we see you again.

All the documents to release you have been completed, and we hope to see quick results. We sent everything to the Ministry and also to the Consulate in Berlin. You can't imagine, Sasha, how much work and effort your Mother puts in. You are lucky to have such a mother. I hope that you will have a chance soon to thank her. She doesn't rest a minute. Every day she goes to the city and works to get your documents.

The business is very slow now. We have little merchandise, so we have few customers. However, we can't do anything about it. I have written to you a long letter, but I sent it without a stamp. I don't know if you received it. So I am writing you about it again. The last few months I took a course in Lithuanian. It is hard if you don't know the language. In all the offices now they are required to speak Lithuanian. But none of us know it. It is a very difficult language to learn. Now that it is summer there are many tourists in Vilna from Lithuania.

Dear Sasha, I cannot receive Lithuanian citizenship because I was born in Swieciany which is now in the Godele. Micha cannot get citizenship either. Here in the house everything is as it was, just like you left it. Our neighbor, the young Taikin, got married. Hok mir kein tchainik [Yiddish expression literally, "Don't bang on the kettle," meaning, "Stop talking nonsense."]. I don't know myself. I think that you are not interested in such insignificant details. But there is nothing to write. I feel very sorry that we can't send any tobacco. What are you doing about smoking? Are you getting any tobacco?

Dear Saschenka: I think if you had Chaikelen ["little Chaia," one of Shep's girlfriends] near you you would feel better. But we already have all the documents to bring you home. You will find a job here. Probably, you are still a good looking man. And there is still time for you. You know, the last few months I did not drink any schnapps. I am waiting for you to come home, then I will show you what I can do. My Bluma, Serna, Cerna and Leib [Meier's wife and children] and also my mother send their regards and they wait for you to come home. Be healthy. Your Mother and Father also send their regards.

With all my heart, Meier