During the period between the two world wars, many Jewish residents of Lunna-Wola sent letters and postcards to their friends and family relatives living abroad. Some of these letters and postcards still survive. Some of them are, in many cases, the only surviving items from their senders.

A collection of letters and radiograms sent by Moshe-Yudel Arkin and his wife Chana from Lunna to their son Leon Arkin, who emigrated to the United States in 1905, is available at YIVO Institute for Jewish Studies. Pictured below are such a letter dated 15 December 1919, on Mr. M. J. Arkin's personal letterhead informing that everyone feels well, etc., and a telegram from Chana Arkin dated July 10, 1931 informing that everything was burnt to ashes (by the fire.)
 

The teacher Moshe Prozhanski used to give private lessons in History and Geography to students in Lunna. When the Hebrew School "Torah Ve'daat" was opened in 1922 he became a teacher in that school. Below are two postcards that the teacher Moshe Prozhanski gave to his students Yocheved ("Yochke") Eliashberg and Leah ("Liza") Eliashberg (Yocheved's cousin) on March 19 and on March 22, 1922. It is likely that he gave those postcards on the occasion of the opening of Torah Ve'daat Hebrew School.
 

As mentioned in the page about educational institutes under the Polish rule (1921-1939), Yaakov (Yankel) Klachkowski was the principal of The Central Yiddish School in Lunna. Below is translation of a letter sent by Y. Klachkowski to Leon (Arye-Leib) Arkin in the USA. The letter was translated by Marshall Bergen, a grandson of Leon Arkin.

Lune, January 28, 1926

Dear Leib:
I am sitting now in your parents' home. Your home evokes memories of the past -earlier years when so many came to visit your brothers and sisters. Your parents and I continue now this friendship. Your home is quiet. Their children have flown off to all corners of the world, and your parents express how lonely they are for you on those occasions when I meet them, and they talk only about you. They are not fortunate to be among the lucky ones who feel good about having children in the neighborhood. They do not have children nearby and must take comfort only from letters.
Your mother talked about your last letter, in which you wrote that you have sent 5 dollars for the articles. We have already received the money. We are sending you a receipt for it with [Aaron B. Vigidor]. In the meantime, I am [fervently] sending to you heartfelt regards.
Your friend,
Y. Klachkowski

Below are two letters that were sent from Lunna to Vaad Ha'Yeshivot (Council of the Yeshivas) in Vilna which represented all the Yeshivas in Lita and was headed by Rabbi Chaim Grodzinski from Vilna (see note 1). The first letter, dated 1st of month Eyar, 1933, was sent from Moshe Eliashberg who was an active member of that council. The second letter was sent from Lunna by Moshe Mordechai Yudelewicz, who was Rabbi Shimon Shkopp's disciple at Yeshivat "Shaar Ha'Torah" in Grodno. The letter was sent after the death of Moshe Eliashberg, who died on the 17th of month Tamuz, 1935. The two letters were translated into English by Ruth Marcus.
 

In 1937 Yitzchak Eliashberg, a former Lunna resident who emigrated in 1932 to Eretz Israel, traveled by ship to visit his mother, Batya, his two younger sisters, Chaya and Leah, and some other family relatives who remained in Lunna. From that visit he sent letters to his girl-friend Ahuva in Eretz Israel. In those letters (written in Hebrew) he described the uncertain atmosphere and his concerns as to the future of the residents of the Lunna Shtetl. Mr. Eliashberg also described the excitement he felt in seeing his closest family members once more, including his mother, two sisters, brother-in-law, and "the two flowers" - his niece and nephew that he saw for the first time. After his visit, Mr. Eliashberg returned to Eretz Israel and a year later he married Ahuva. All of his family members who remained in Lunna perished in the Holocaust. The letters were translated from Hebrew to English and are posted on the page: visits in Lunna.

Below is a letter sent by Chaya and David Alperstein from Gdynia to Yitzchak and Ahuva Eliashberg. The letter, dated June 3, 1938, includes special wishes for the wedding of Yitzchak and Ahuva, which took place in Tel Aviv on Lag Ba'Omer, 1938 (May 5).
Note: Chaya (Kosowski) Alperstein was Yitzchak's mother's sister. Chaya and David Alperstein perished in the Holocaust.
 

Below are more letters and postcards sent from Jewish residents of Lunna-Wola to their friends and relatives.

Notes

Note 1: Vaad Ha'Yeshivot in Vilna was active from circa. 1900 until the Second World War. >back
 

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