9th December, 1980

Dearest Rita and Lex,

I have just had a look at Jayson, aged 9 months, on the delightful picture you sent last year, and could imagine the pleasure he must be giving the whole family. He looks a sturdy enough fellow and will be running around by now, keeping you on your toes! Events move on and in my mind I can still see Jayson’s grandmother at school in Barnet.

Judging by your letter you, too, are a family that move around a great deal, and your various visits to different parts of the world and explorations of the East Coast must be interesting. When you were in the States, Rita, you saw your sister and I would love to know how she is and what she is doing. I remember she has a very gifted child.

Now to our news:  In the first place we are all well. With Christmas ahead, we are awaiting the homecoming of various members of the family, though Ruthie and Leslie will be in Egypt, on holiday. Ruth is working at the Treasury and is Private Secretary to the Government Chief Economic Adviser. She works long hours. In fact, she is rarely home before 8.30 in the evening but she is one of those people who thrive on work and problem solving and administration and this, so far, has not put her in the frame of mind to start a family. They have bought a lovely flat not far from the Heath (Hampstead) and are happily installed there. Leslie is doing very well as a barrister and has many interesting cases coming his way.

David was married in Israel last Spring to a delightful girl called Noga. They live quite close to us and David has been working with Rank Xerox where he became top salesman. At the end of the month, they are off to Israel for about a year.

Daniel has finished at Cambridge and is at Law College prior to being articled. He made a special study of the legal rights of minority groups and did quite a lot of work on the Aborigines. Last summer he went to Mexico to study the various life styles and found it quite fascinating. He also got engaged there to an American girl he had met in Israel when they were both volunteers working on a kibbutz. However they don’t plan to get married for a few years and time will show whether they are serious. She lives in San Diego, by all accounts a beautiful place with a marvellous climate. I think Danny is quite tempted to move there.

Simon and Jonathan are still at university. Simon is in his last year with no definite plans regarding his future. He spent some of his summer holiday in the Republic of Ireland and simply loved it. He met various interesting people who offered him work and for all I know, he may take himself there for a while. Jonathan travelled through Europe and took a boat from Greece to Israel. He came back via Istanbul just at the time of the coup and took the first and only train out, and found himself in Sofia! This gave him a chance to look around and he saw the house where Nick lived.

With all this travel talk, I must also mention that Nick and I are planning to be in Israel at the end of January. We will be staying 4 to 6 weeks.

This, in a nutshell, is the Confino set up.

I was sorry your son did not look us up when he came to London as I was looking forward to meeting him. Perhaps we were away when he phoned. Is there a chance of you coming over again?

With all good wishes for the New Year and a happy Christmas to you all,

With much love,

Lore.