ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 113531 - Translation - Russian - Russia - Baku (Azerbaijan) - Riskin, Levin


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Russian
Approval Date: 2/4/2026 3:45 PM
Family Surname: Riskin, Levin
Country: Russia
Town: Baku (Azerbaijan)
Date of Image: 5.4.1970

Click the picture to enlarge

Attached are pages no. 1 and 4 of a letter sent to my great-grandmother Bronya Riskin, in the Land of Israel, from her brother Matvey Levin, in Baku. I would appreciate your assistance in its translation. Thank you.

Response

2/5/2026 12:25 PM

Baku, April 5, 1970
Hello, dear Bronislava!

As you warned me, I'll be receiving letters from you at the beginning of each month, which suits me perfectly. We've been through a lot during this time due to Tosya's illness, but now it's all behind us, and it's good that everything ended well. Tosya developed purulent appendicitis. If it had been a day late, all surgical interventions would have been useless. Fortunately, we were able to prevent and protect it at the last moment with surgical removal. Tosya had some kind of rare appendicitis, which was attached to the back wall of the abdominal cavity, and therefore the surgery was more complicated; we had to additionally freeze and cut the abdominal cavity to remove it. Thus, Tosya spent 20 days in hospital instead of the 7-8 days she normally would with ordinary appendicitis. Currently, Tosya goes to the clinic, where she takes quartz. The knots in her stitches are gradually dissolving. So far, she's only taken ten—sixteen more to go, I think they'll disappear. Petya spent the first three days by his mother's side, day and night, refreshing her lips and doing everything he could to make her feel better. Tosya's niece came by, but she couldn't spend much time with her, as she has two children—one ten months old and the other ten years old—so we decided to call Tosya's sister from Derbent, which helped us feel better. She's still with us and is only planning to go home today. Marusya-Davida came to cook dinner a couple of times, but then, when Tosya's sister arrived, she became unnecessary, as she's not feeling quite well.
Bronichka, how are you? You're still living in two houses. So, you've recovered from your flu bouts. I wish you good health and well-being, so you can have the pleasure of seeing your granddaughters, and most importantly, your grandson. I congratulate you and all your family on the spring holiday of Passover.
I heard that you have healing baths at the Dead Sea that are as good as the famous Carlsbad waters. You have every opportunity to prolong your life; you just need to take advantage of them.
Bronichka, how is your grandson developing? He's probably turning four, and he only speaks Hebrew, or at least English, as a matter of course. My memory is shaky; I can't seem to focus on one thing. This is probably a complication from my paralysis. I can't seem to get over it, and I'm also experiencing additional stress. Bronislava, you probably remember Esther Beyrak, later known as Palatnikova. She had a generally unlucky life. She lost two children—her son was an officer and died in the war. Her daughter also died of cancer. She was also a pediatrician. She and her husband, Boris Palatnikov, had a difficult life. As I wrote to you, he also died, and now, at 74, she has passed away.
Greetings to you and all your family from me, Tosya and Petya.

ViewMate Posting VM 113531

Submitted by Maor Brodski

Learn more about our organizational leadership, mission, and values. There are numerous opportunities to get involved yourself!

Search millions of records from around the globe, including more than 4 million records related to the Holocaust, and more than 4.2 million burial records. Records are continually added each month - check back often for new information!

Discover your ancestral town, explore geographic/regional based sections of the JewishGen site (Research Divisions), and explore what daily life was like for your ancestors - and what we can learn from them today.

Enhance your research with online classes and dozens of helpful articles. University students can apply for the Bennett & Robin Greenspan L'dor V'dor Legacy Program, and those "out of school" can help preserve Jewish Heritage in Poland with unique study & volunteer experiences.

Connect with tens of thousands of other JewishGen members via the Family Finder, Discussion Group, Facebook Group, and ViewMate. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community.

The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. If you are in a position to do so, please consider a contribution today - your support will make a difference!

ViewMate Posting VM 113531

Submitted by Maor Brodski