May 22nd, 1951
Tel Aviv

Poiky darling,

Today I got your letter from Belgium and the one you wrote to me from Paris on 19th. I was mighty glad to have news again from you and as you say you are going on to London, I am sending this letter to Ma’am. How I wish I could join you there for a little while! Don’t forget to visit the relations this time and to hand over the presents – including the one to the Henschels and to Hazel. You can always ring her up in Pottersbar and ask her to come to town. You will write fully to me about everything there, won’t you stinky?

We got your wonderful parcels today. Mordi collected them as the ship had arrived and we talked about them the whole day. They were marvellously assorted and I hear (but only hear) that the salami is too divine. So you see there was no time lost in breaking into the spoils. Your mother would have written a poem about the paper the sweets were wrapped in!

You wanted to know how much Mrs F. said she paid for the customs. Two quiddles. That’s all. I told you that she is intending to leave on 13th June and wants me to write to her because she would like to speak to you before she leaves. I am sure she has been cursing these khamsins and will probably hold you indirectly responsible! Don’t be funny, I had no silly ideas about hotels in Paris. She started on the not asking indiscreet questions affair. And why is it so important to you to know why I didn’t type that letter to you? You are really funny. I can’t for the life of me remember what happened. Maybe the children were around interfering – they think the typewriter marvellous – or maybe I didn’t feel in the typing mood. There is no hidden motive. I shall ask your father again to let me have the money for Simon. I didn’t want to press him for it because I thought that maybe cash wasn’t available just now. Anyhow he knows about it.

I read in the papers today that the new rations books are going to be handed out against the identity cards and that children under 15 will be allocated theirs provided their names are entered in the parent’s book. As I find their names entered in your book, I shall take it along with me when the time comes, and there should be no complications.

A letter arrived today from Kauffmanns. They thanked us all and were still very impressed with all they had seen. He enclosed the letter from the Hotel Beau-Rivage in Annecy in which Mr Martin had told him how very much upset he was to hear that nothing more had been heard about my brother. He seems to have been very fond of him. He said that they still clearly remembered that bad day on which he was arrested etc. and told Kauffmann that Oswald had handed him a sealed envelope which he had opened after all these years. There was nothing in it except 2 1,000 francs bills and 20 100 francs bills. Kauffmann had written to the French Consulate about these but was told that a law passed in March 1949 made a deadline for the exchange of these bills 1st January 1950. K. made his case that I was very poor and that the money might be paid out to me on these grounds, but it was refused. He asked me to try the Consulate here and I have got all the copies of the letters involved. As I have no idea how much money the above-mentioned sum is and as I don’t want to make a fool of myself for a trifle which I don’t want in any case, but would like to return to him, I hope you will inform me what to do.  Since Martin said he didn’t open the envelope in question until some time in 1949, but didn’t know the address of the next of kin, I think that would make a much better case than talking about the “poor” sister.

I saw Sonia yesterday but it was all very uninspiring. I told her that if Rebecca comes back I shall get tickets for a cinema and she can leave Allan baby-sitting. It would make a change for both of us.

I you can manage, send us some Quaker Oats from England. One can’t get them any more here and the tins are finishing. I see too that type-writer ribbons are unobtainable. Get one for yours and one for the old Tinker Bell. All this providing that there is filthy lucre to be had.

Malchi must have called here yesterday with Momo because I found a visiting card under the door. He was quite upset to hear that you had left me again. Funny Malchi.

The letter I wrote to you yesterday and which I sent to Paris will probably not find you there any more. I told you in it that Muriel has had a boy and Derrick’s wife a girl. So you had better congratulate the family.

The children are well and up to their usual. Don’t be cross but I haven’t taken any snaps yet. Haven’t been in the mood. I haven’t bought any more clothes either. It’s no fun without you and as the coupons will not be invalid, I shall probably wait till you come back. For whom should I dress up when you aren’t around? 

Write soon – no complaining from this end – and come back as soon as possible. We are all missing you. With all my love and hugs and kisses,

Bossy.