Cape Town, 30 July, 1902

To my dearest wife, Taube Kretzmar, Zol lebben, in much happiness, and to my dear children, zollen lebben, my sons David and Noah, and my daughters, Leah and Freda, zollen lebben and grow up in wealth and joy, amen.

Dearest wife, I have received your sad letter but I am not able to reply to it today. But, in one word, I can say that although the sun is beautiful we are not able to pull it down. One is only a human being. I myself, from my side, am doing all I can with might and main, but when the luck is out then nothing helps, and when the luck is in, you don’t need anything else and all comes right. This is in connection with money, and about the letters, it is enough that I suffer myself – so why should I burden you too with the same… and without knowing it you can have enough of it… and one cannot write lies. It is not always that one can laugh at things – in the meantime, may God grant that things will improve.

I hope shortly to go to Johannesburg, and when I do go, I will write you everything. I am sending now £3, may God grant that you will be lucky and we should be prosperous and forget all the tsorres, amen.

I greet my dear parents, my brothers, sisters, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, lebben alle wohl, be well, as is the wish of your dear husband, son, son-in-law and brother, Tuvye Kretzmar

I came to Cape Town today to get a permit to go to Johannesburg, and if I will get the permit I will travel and then I will write you everything. From me, Tuvye Kretzmar