TUESDAY
MY DEAR AUNT AND UNCLE --
IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME BUT I GET AROUND TO WRITING ALL PEOPLE THAT I LIKE -- ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM WHOM I ENJOY GETTING LETTERS.
I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE IN THE BEST OF HEALTH AND BEING SO CLOSE TO THE HOLIDAYS I'M QUITE SURE YOUR TIME IS PRETTY WELL OCCUPIED.
THE WEATHER HERE HAS BEEN NASTY FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS AND FINALLY, THIS AFTERNOON, THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT ON MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME -- WHICH I WOULD GLADLY TRADE FOR EVEN NASTY DAYS IN MY NEW YORK HOME -- BUT THEY SAY ALL THIS IS THE PRICE OF WAR -- SO WE CONTINUE TO GO ABOUT OUR BUSINESS MAKING THE BEST OF IT.
DON'T MISUNDERSTAND, NASTY WEATHER HERE HAS IT'S GOOD POINTS -- WE STAY INDOORS AND PICK OUT PEOPLE WE LIKE TALKING WITH AND SPEND THE NASTY DAYS IN DISCUSSIONS OF VARIOUS DIFFERENT TOPICS -- WHICH IS GOOD EXERCISE FOR THE MIND. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE A FEW COLLEGE BOYS HERE -- AND TWO OF THEM FROM BROOKLYN COLLEGE -- SO IN ALL WE FIND PLEASANT WAYS TO SPEND THE UNPLEASANT WEATHER.
I'M FEELING FINE AND STILL ON MY OLD JOB HERE WHICH AS I ALWAYS SAID -- WOULD BE WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS OF I HAD IT CLOSE TO HOME -- HOWEVER THINGS COULD BE WHOLE LOT WORSE SO THERE IS NOTHING FOR ME TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SIDNEY HEISTEIN -- HE IS IN SICILY AND SAYS HE IS SPENDING HIS TIME EATING ORANGES AND GRAPEFRUITS -- AS WELL AS OTHER FOODS THAT GROW THERE. OF COURSE WHETHER HE IS IN THE ACTUAL FIGHTING OR NOT -- HE CANNOT TELL -- SO FOR HIS SAKE I HOPE HE IS FAR FROM IT.
[Note: Sidney Heistein was in the actual fighting. A few weeks after this letter was written, on 18 Oct 1943, PVT Sidney I. Heistein, (Z'L) a gentle man, whom I was told could not bring himself to step on an insect, was killed in action by an artillery shell on Hill 446 near Roccaromana, Italy. May his supreme sacrifice be remembered always, and may his soul be bound for eternal life amongst the millions of martyrs who lost their lives in World War II.]
I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SITUATION AT HOME -- BUT TRUST THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING ALONG SATISFACTORILY AND MY MAIN INTEREST IS STILL THAT MY MOTHER ENJOY THE BEST OF HEALTH.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I WILL SPEND THE HOLIDAY IN TOWN WITH SOME JEWISH FAMILY OR NOT. THIS WEEK THE JEWISH CHAPLAIN HAS APPEALED TO ALL JEWISH BOYS -- THAT THEY ARE OFF ON THE HOLIDAYS -- AND SHOULD NOT WORK, EVEN IF THEY WANT TO -- SINCE IT WILL LOOK BAD FOR THE OTHERS -- HE ALSO APPEALED TO THE BOYS TO STAY IN CAMP ON THE HOLIDAY AND COME TO HIS SERVICES WHICH HE CONDUCTS IN AN ORTHODOX WAY. I AM OFF ON THE HOLIDAYS AND DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO STAY IN CAMP AND ATTEND HIS SERVICES OR GO TO TOWN. -- HOWEVER I GUESS I'LL DO A LITTLE THINKING ONE OF THESE DAYS AND WILL DECIDE THE PROBLEM.
THERE ISN'T MUCH NEWS OTHER THAN WHAT I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED -- SO I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH MY USUAL [Be well and strong] ALL OF YOU AND -- AND SINCE I MAY NOT WRITE AGAIN UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAY -- LET ME WISH YOU UNCLE AND ALL YOUR CHILDREN -- A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR—FREE FROM ANY TROUBLES -- AND LET US HOPE THAT LONG BEFORE THE JEWISH NEW YEAR OF 1944 ARRIVES -- MAY THE GOOD LORD SEE FIT TO END ALL THIS HORRIBLE BLOODSHED AND RETURN EVERY MOTHER'S SON HOME WHERE HE BELONGS --
YOUR DEVOTED NEPHEW
Phil