23rd February, 1951
Tel Aviv

Dearest Darling,

I have just been debating whether to go to bed or whether to compose this letter. The truth is: I am more asleep than awake, though it is only about 8 o’clock. The children dragged me out of bed this morning round sixish and since then we’ve been going strong. We paid a visit to auntie Meta who sends you her best regards. I am sure you will be sorry to hear that you may not find my auntie Eileen in London! She and her husband are about to embark on a business trip to South Africa. Of all things. I hope therefore that you’ll ring up there as soon as you get to London in case they are still available. Otherwise I was shown a photo of Muriel’s Margarete, who is quite a sweet little blondie. I hear that uncle Max is back at work – at his age – and that two more grandchildren will appear in March, April. I am giving you this background dope so that you will be in the know. Then it will interest you that Mrs Hofbauer sent some chocolate. I really thought it sweet of her. The little parcel was downstairs on the sideboard when your friend M. appeared with Rachel. Without being asked he liberally helped himself and you can imagine how sweetly disposed I felt, and then of course there is the Ecole Hotel. See how it goes Boss. Perhaps you’ll have the chance to go there. Otherwise tell Matty and it may well be that her husband will pass that way. I naturally don’t know if the people in question are still there and whether Wandfluh still has the things. Mrs Schmidt knows exactly what was there.

I went to Mrs Kuhlmann, the owner of the kindergarten. She is quite an old gal, full of enthusiasm and pioneering spirit. I certainly hit the right note when I told her we had come here originally on a visit and then decided to settle. After that it was smooth sailing and I spent a pleasant half hour there. The year’s fee is £52. She said when money was still worth something she used to charge £12. She wants me to take Liki there one day to look over. She is the first child on the Register. She warned me however that the Government has a bee in their bonnet about private gans and no-one knows what laws are going to be laid down. Your mother meanwhile said that Bella Baram had once recommended a lovely place for Liora. If I can track Bella I shall ask her and go and have a look there too. The obvious advantage of the Trumpledor one is its proximity – for I have to take the baby into consideration too. Their ménage is in a bad state. The child is ill and Jimmy has got jaundice and they are without a maid again. In short he confessed to me that the household is such a worry that he can’t put his heart into his work. And the results thereof have alas been evidenced even when you were here. I told Mrs M. that you were writing to her; you had better do it too.

Today I had a letter from Schmidts. Auntie is already thrilled at the idea that you might be going there and said you could naturally stay at her place; and all the things she is going to give you for me, including a wonderful tea for the kidneys. If you go Boss, enquire in the German Section for addresses of big bosses over there because it might facilitate things considerably. I was sorry to hear that old man (unintelligible) doesn’t want to play ball and I don’t understand anything about mortgages. Can you explain as you might to a newly born? Auntie also said that if you go to Switzerland you should call at Thonon and see if you find anything there. All you have to do is to take the boat across Lake Geneva. It stops at Evian and from there the bus leaves straight for Thonon. The address is Madame Wandfluh (…) Another address where my brother (Oswald) used to be is Pension A. Lochon (….) What thinkest thou, worthy one?

Your daughter is busy these days doing (unintelligible). The other day I found her scribbling away and when being asked whether she was working, she said very haughtily that she was doing her lessons like Ada Gut. The baby fell badly and cut his lip with his teeth but it’s healing quickly. He has got a good appetite and looks quite plump. Herzi has a lot of trouble with her baby because she won’t eat and the situation is developing into another (unintelligible-Edna) affair.  Herzi has got terribly fat and I am sure she hasn’t got the energy to do anything about herself.

From now on I shall send you the newspapers to London because there is a lot of local news which you might want to keep in touch with. I had wanted to write you a sort of weekly summary but it would take too much of my time and I am determined to have as much leisure as possible. Incidentally my auntie Meta is convinced a) that I am pregnant again and you will come back just in time for the happy event and b) that I am going back to London. She had also thought of sending Alese to sleep here the other night because they had visitors. Am I glad he didn’t turn up!! If you are still at Matty’s my love to all.

Missing you like hell,

Bossy.