March 15, 2026
Esther’s Letter
The Jewish story is both a sefer and iggeret, book and letter, bridging past and present in a way that is anything but normal.
In 2022, a remarkable story was published in the papers describing a lost letter written by a young man in the military more than six decades earlier. This man, John Gonsalves, came home safe, married, raised a family, and passed away. Then, the New York Times reported, something wondrous occurred:
“Hi, was your husband in the service?” Ms. Gonsalves, 89, recalled the letter carrier’s saying. “Yes, he was,” she answered. “But I didn’t know him then.”
The letter carrier handed her an envelope. “Well, I’m pretty sure I have something that’s personal for you,” he said.
