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The Escape
Rifka and her family create an escape plan to escape from Russia and travel to the United States. IN order for the plan to work, Rifka must distract the guards, while the rest of her family hides, until the train leaves the station. She is almost caught when one of the guards becomes suspicious. Luckily she is able to ramble long enough for her Uncle Avrum to step in and help. Rifka safely makes it on the train with the rest of her family and they head for America. -
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Rifka's Journey
Rifka's experience migrating form Russia to America. -
Arrival to the Polish Border
Rifka and her family reach the Polish border and must be inspected. Fearing that they might me sent back to Russia, they followed all of the doctor's orders. After the examination Rifka and her mother are directed into a building to take back their belongings. Rifka notices that the guards took her mama's candle sitcks that were secured in her rucksack. shortly after the inspection Rifka begins to feel sick, her head throbs and her body aches. -
Stranded By Illness
The family must stay with relatives in Motziv, Poland until they find out what has happened to Rifka. A student of medicine ca,me to examine Rifka to determine what was wrong with her. He discovered that she had developed typhus. -
Hunger strikes in Poland
As Rifka begins to get better, the rest of her family, with the exception of Saul, are contaminated with the typhus. Saul finds a cheap room in a beaten down hotel for Rika and himslef to live in. The two try to limit their food intake in order to save money. When Rifka tries to be kind to Saul and save him some extra food, things go horribly wrong. A young girl steals the food and Saul becomes very agrivated with Rifka. Rifka becomes very lonely and sarts vistiting her mother in the hospital. -
The Journey to Warsaw
The family heals from the typhus and head to Warsaw, Poland. In Warsaw the family plans to pick up money for their steamship tickets. Rifka has high expectations about Warsaw. While on the train, she meets a polish woman with a baby. Rifka makes a kind gesture, offering to fix the woman's hair. Rifka tells the girl about her plans for reaching America. In response the girl tells Rifka of how Poland has everything that she could possibly need, and, for a moment, Rifka sees what the girl means. -
Ringworm in Warsaw
Before recieving a ticket Rifka and her family must, once again, be examined by a doctor. The rest of Rifka's family is cleared, however Rifka discovers that she has ringworm and may not recieve a ticket. Also, Rifka is tricked out of her money by an old man. She asked the man for an orange, for she had never tried one before. He took all of Rifka's money and called her a thief. Rifka's father had to pay the man extra money to keep him qiuet. Rifka learns to hate Warsaw -
What to do About the Ringworm
The family meets with a woman from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society to discuss what is to be done about Rifka's ringworm. The lady explains that the family must advance to America and Rifka must stay behind. Rifka argues with the woman explaining that she would rather go back to Berdicchev. The woman tells Rifka that she will be sent to belguim to be treated for her ringworm and once she is cured, she can travel to America. Seeing know way out of the situation, Rifka agrees to travel to Belgium. -
Adjusting to Life in Belgium
Rifka arrrives in Belgium and settles in to her new home. She lives in a very nice home owned by her host family, Gaston and Marie. She loves her new home, but realizes that she is never really home without her mother and father. To clebrate her thirteenth birthday, she weaves a golden Star of David. Sister Katrina is in charge of the treatment for Rifka's ringworm. She is trated once a day. RIfka prays for her hair to grow back every night. -
Lost in Antwerp
Rifka takes a different route home from the convent and becomes distrated with all of te astounding sights of Antwerp. She finds herself lost without any idea of how to get home.She asks the milkman for direction, trusting him because his kind eyes remind her of her Uncle Zeb.The man safely guides her home. Rifka never knew that strangers could be so kind and wondered if her brothers in America, Asher, Isaac, and Reuben, would be the same. -
The Wonders of Belgium
Rifka comes to lern that Belgium is actually a wonderful place. In her free time she plays with the children at the park. She also discovers many new foods such as ice cream and chocolate. Her ringworm is begginning to heal, but no hair has grown back yet. Rifka still misses her family and mourns for America, however she has become very familiar with the Belgiun life style. -
Off to America
Rifka's ringworm is finally cured and she is clearded to travel America. Her still has not grown back and she is worried that it never will. To prepare for America, the HIAS lady teaches Rifka english and she even goes to see an American movie. Rifka continuosly thinks of her family back in Berdichev and has hopes that they will come to America one day. She says goodbye to her friends and host family in Antwerp and heads for America. -
Pieter
Rifka believes that the ship that she is staying on is marvelous and is having quite an enjoyable trip. She meets a boy named Pieter who always tells her jokes and stories. She fells special around Pieter, noone treats her the way that he does. Pieter flatters Rifka and ends up kissing her, but then runs away in embarassment. Rifka doesn't understand why he is embarassed. She tries to write a poem about her feelings for him. -
Storm Clouds Over the Atlantic
A dreadful storm strikes in the middle of the night. Rifk is almost thrown overbaord by the vicious waves. Luckily Pieter saves her. When the storm was finally over Rifka was informed that Pieter had not survived the storm. This causes all of her emotions from the entire journey to spill out. She realizes just how short and precious life is. She waited for days until the tow ship finally arrived and when it did it towed the ship very slowy. Rifka becomes very anxoius to make it to America. -
A Hold-Up at Ellis Island
Rifka arrives in Ellis Island. She goes through a series of tests and examinations. After being examined, she is sent to a cage holding deetaines. She is not allowed to enter America because the doctors fear that, with no hair, she may never get married, and the govermnat would have to take care of her for the rest of her life. She questions just how inmportant looks actually are in America. -
Lending a Helping Hand
Rifka helps out around her ward. She acts as an interpreter to help patients and doctors communicate. Also, She helps take care of a little Polish baby with typhus. One night in the dinning hall she meets a little Russian peasant who is tarving himself so that he can be sent back home. She initally feels hatred towards the boy because he is Russian, but decides to help him any way. She makes sure that he eats and encourages him to stay in America. He comes to like Rifka and follows everywhere. -
Saul Comes to Visit
Saul comes to visit Rifka in her ward to tell her how the family has been. At first, he doesn't recongnize Rifka, but then he reallizes that it really is her. Rifka introduces Saul to her friend Doctor Askin and IIya. Saul is angry that Rifka has the Pushkin he and IIya fight over it. Saul accidentally breaks the Star of David that Rifka placed between the pages. Rifka decides not to fight with him. Instead she asks him about the family. Rifka gives him money to by their mama new candle sticks. -
Mama's Visit
Rifka's mama comes to visit. Rifka tells her mother about everything that has happened. Rika's mother worries about Rifka's hair. Rifka's mother gets to see Rifka help out and says that she is much like her father in that way. IIya keeps his distance throughout the entire visit. She thinks of all that has happened to IIya and herself. She realizes that they are both in two completely differrent worlds, yet the are joined together, stuck on Ellis Island. -
IIya Causes Trouble
IIya and Rifka took a walk around the hospital, and aftrer alittle while Rifka lost Ilya. She found him in a toilet stall playing with toilet paper. She scolded him and rushed him away before anyone caught them, for wasting paper was a serious crime in Russia. While rushing away form the stalls IIya smashed his shoulder into a wall. She told Nurse Bowen what had happened and the nurse simply laughed. She explained to RIfka that there is plenty of paper in America and it is okay to waste some. -
The Itching Returns
The baby with typhus that Rifka always takes care of dies. She wishes she could have saved her, she loved the baby. Things continue to get worse. Rifka's head begins itching again and in a day the doctors will make a decision about her case. She thinks the ringworm is back and regrets ever leaving Russia. Knowing that it is too late to go back to Berdichev, Rifka decides to try to get through tomorrow and make it to America. -
The Decision
Rifka faces Mrs. Fargate to see what will become of her. Before her case is disscussed, she helps IIya with his case. She orders him to read Pushkin to show Mrs. Fargate that he is not a simpletin and her plan works. The doctors disscuss Rifka's case. RIfka convinces Mrs.Fargate that she does not need hair to find a husband. Mrs. Fargate signed Rifka's papers to enter America. Rifka finds out that her hair did start to grow back. Rifka is free to enter America and be with her family again.
