My Dear friends,
I am Itzke Gavenda from Kovna (Kaunas). Thank you so much! Your help makes an enormous difference to my life… From this whole region of little Jewish villages, not far from Svintsyan, … I am today, alas the only survivor. I turn 84 on July 14th, so who knows for how long.
I wish you and your families health and happiness and good days. I would love to hear from you again soon. Thank you for everything!
Itske Gavenda
***
KAUNAS, LITHUANIA, November 2, 2004
I received your letter and the two checks for $25 and $50. Big thank you for that. With your help I can now have money to buy medicine which I need.
Your help to me is like manna which G-d sent to all the Jews in Sinai. You have good Jewish hearts for old, ill Jewish people. Your letter raised my morale and I am now optimistic in my feelings.
I am already old and have a bouquet of different health problems. In Kaunas we have a very small Jewish community with a very small number of men. I am the oldest man in our community. I am not in good health because of our Northern European Baltic climate. People here have a shorter term of life than in Western Europe. I haven’t written in Russian for a long time and my handwriting is shaky like an old man’s. Excuse me for my mistakes and not good writing.
I wish you good health, happiness, mazel …
It is difficult to write because I am old. When my health is better I will write to you about my biography more completely. I want to thank you one more time and send you all my best wishes to you and your relatives. Peace to your country, the Jewish people and Eretz Israel.
Itzke
NB: Itzke [Josif] Gavenda passed away on January 23, 2005 at the age of 86