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I greet cordially my dear parents – my dear father, Yehudah Leib Kretzmar, and my mother, the chaste and modest Beila, and my honoured brother Yaacov, and my sisters, Hinda and Chana, may you all live well – Dear Parents – I have no news to write. I am well TG and wish to hear the same from you.

Cape Town, Undated

… Please write to me if you have met David Michael from ‘Starkene’ and what does he say about the ten rouble that was liened to the pawnbroker? If there is still a hope or whether it’s all finished? Please write me also if Krois has repaid the 35 roubel for the ‘sterk’ ? (bullock), as I don’t know if it has been received.

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One must forget that we are still unsettled and in Cape Town. I did not expect to be staying in Cape Town for so long and to do such business in Cape Town. I would not have left home had I known this.

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I greet cordially my dear parents, brothers and sisters, and to you my brother Jacob I ask if it may already be the time for counting and if they listen, tell them in my name as I am an experienced man that the more you count the better.

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I greet cordially my dear mother-in-law and my brother-in-law Moishe Schochet and his wife, my sister, Sarah, with the children, may they live happily, my sister-in-law Chana Reza, and my brother-in-law Aaron.

Cape Town, 2 January, 1900

To my dear father, Yehuda Leib Kretzmar, and my dear mother, Beila, and my dear brother, Yaavov, and my younger brothers and sisters, may they all be blessed, and to my dear brother-in-law, Moishe Schochet, and his wife, my sister, and their children, may they all live well, and to my mother-in-law Neche, and to my sister-in-law Chana Reza, may they all be blessed.

Letter from Meish Katz (Rubin)

I greet you my cousin Taube and the whole family in Zudgala [i], the gabbai Yehuda Leib Kretzmar – zol leben - and to receive good letters and we should make the odd few pounds in order to go home.

Friday, January, 1900

To my dear father – Yehuda Leib Kretzmar – and my dear mother, the chaste and modest Beila, and my scholarly brother Jaaicov Kretzmar, and my younger brothers and sisters – to all of them I wish unlimited happiness.

Cape Town, February, 1900

To my dearest wife, Taube Kretzmer, Be well and live in happiness and joy. And to my dear children, sons David and Noah and daughters Leah and Freda, be well and grow up in wealth and comfort, amen yachie ratsoun, may it be according to Your will.

Undated

… writing and thank God for granting health to you and the dear children, I thank you for the news that our son Noah is better from the chickenpox and you should write about every child as they develop in mind.

(A few lines by Meish Rubin )

I have written a few words and so keep well as is the wish of your beste freind Moishe Rubin, I greet cordially my cousin, the chaste Taube, may she live in comfort.

Cape Town, 20 February, 1900

Dear wife, I have received your letter of 7th January safely, and I do not need to tell you how much joy and courage your letter has given me.

Cape Town, 27 February, 1900

My dearest wife – I can inform with joy that I find myself TG well. May God give me the same news from you. And that my writing shall find you also well. This week I have not yet received your letter because the boat with the mail has not arrived yet in harbour and because the dock is occupied by other boats that must unload their cargo for the military.

Cape Town, 20 March, 1900

My dearest wife, I have today received your letter of the first of February 1900 – it’s the 20th of March 1900. I was very unsettled, I could not hold in my impatience anymore because of the letter you wrote me on the 12thof January.

Cape Town, Wednesday, March, 1900

There is no news to write and no news means all is as it was. He who is at home cries that it is no good while he who is not at home says ‘Where can I get a home so as not to be a wanderer’ so in the meantime everyone is waiting for better times and everyone says that it is good wherever I am not. May the Lord grant that it may be good everywhere.