3rd March, 1951
Tel Aviv

Darling Sweetheart,

Where are you, how are you and are you missing me? Three very important questions and I am also longing to know what impression London is going to make on you after all these years. I read that prices are going up over there – wool is terribly expensive and the shortage of meat has increased the price of other foodstuffs. (I liked The Times commentary on Mr Webb’s speech in which was said that there was no meat in it, in any meaning of the word.) Your friend Baby came today. I am afraid he is very depressed and has aged a lot. He would very much like to hear from you. And here is a message. Silverstone sent him a parcel. He thanked him for it but his secretary gave the letter to an uncle of hers to post who sent it by ordinary mail and it may take a long time to get there. Instead of writing again, as I suggested, he wants you to explain all this and to add that it was a most welcome and delightful surprise. Incidentally I read that there are ladderless nylons on sale over there, of inferior quality as the best are for export, and if you can get a few for me I would be very grateful. It’s supposed to be something new. I expect they are going to leave clothes rationing until after the Festival. I got Liki’s shoes mended in half a day and it was done very nicely and quickly. I gave him a few piasters more (out of gratefulness and to save coupons). The old man was grateful in turn and he says he has children’s shoes and also in my size. So if our shop does not get any stock I shall have to go to him. I don’t really know what to do about Kfm.. Whether we should book hotel accommodation. Perhaps he is going to stay with his nephew. I haven’t the faintest. Things here are going from bad to worse. Everything is in short supply or unobtainable. Yesterday I got two tea glasses from under the counter and had to have a floorcloth reserved for me. The glasses, by the way, are so badly finished that in normal times I wouldn’t have looked at them. I hear from Libby that Davis has moved into his prefab and he is not to be recognised as the same man. She says he looks really happy, enterprising.

Talking about enterprising – some people have opened an advance booking office in Ben Jehuda for cinema, theatre and concert tickets and are doing a flourishing business. Mordi has gone to Haifa today and we had your auntie Jamilla and uncle for the day. I felt very restless down there – don’t ask me why – and was glad to come up. They do shout such a lot and the children get fidgety because there isn’t so much room to muck around. I had wanted to ask you before how you got on with Solomon and if Matty is really happy there. I didn’t want to ask you whilst you were still there. I am sending you with the same post an article by Crossman which I found very interesting, as well as some snaps – four in all. If you are not going to return them to me you had better tell me so that I can have new ones made. Jerusalem Posts are also ready to go. Give my love to Ma’am and (unintelligible).

We stinkers kiss you, hug you and miss you,

Bossy.