-
Russia
Rifka and her family are on their way to Poland. They have just made it to the train station and the guards had come. Rifka is used as a distraction until the train leaves. The guards fall for the trick with the help of Uncle Avrum, and Rifka and her family are on their way. -
Period: to
Letters from Rifka
-
Poland
Rifka and her family had just made it to the border of Poland. Once there, a doctor comes and does a check-up to approve that they do not have any contagious illnesses. Rifka's family is cleared and they make it into Poland. -
Motziv, Poland
Rifka's family are still in Poland. Suddenly, Rifka is struck with typhus. The medical doctoer said she would die just like the others. Then the rest of the family caught the illness , except Saul. So Rifka was left back with Saul, while everyone else was sent to a hospital. -
Motziv, Poland
Rifka got better. Saul had to find a new place for them to live. They moved into a rundown motel where the inkeepers daughter steals Rifka's food. One day Rifka goes and visits her mother in the hospital. There her mother is pale white. -
En route to Warsaw
Rifka's family has survived typhus. They are on the train. There Rifka meets a 16 year old girl with a baby.Rifka offers to do the girl's hair and she notices many things. For instance she stunk and strands of her hair clustered in oily clumps. Most of all she had sores all over her scalp. Rifka becomes restless but her mother still doesn't allow her to leave. So when everyone is asleep she writes to Tovah. -
Warsaw,Poland
At the steamship office, they go through another check up. Everyone was clear except Rifka, who caught a skin disease from the girl on the train called ringworm disease. The father tried to bribe them but they refused. So instead, they went to someone else. While Rifka was waiting, she saw a man holding oranges. But little did she know that the man tricked her. Without the money to buy food they could not eat. This was not a place Rifka wanted to be left behind in. -
Antweerp, Belgium
The rest of Rifka's family are on their way to America. The nice HIAS lady put Rifka with an elderly couple named Gaston and Marie. Rifka secretly had a mitzvah on her 13th birthday. She had a whole ceremony in her bedroom. Also, while in Antwerp, Rifka gets treatments for her ringworm. She met a nun named Sister Katrina, who takes care of Rifka and teaches her Flemish. Sadly Rifka's hair has fallen out and is not growing back. -
Antwerp, Belgium
Rifka began to explore Antwerp. But a while later she becomes lost. Rifka finds a milkman in a cart and asks for help.The milkman kindly brings Rifka back home and Rifka thanks him by giving him a kiss on his hand. -
Antwerp, Belgium
Rifka made new friends at the park and one of them,Gizelle, reminds her of Hannah. For the first time ever, Rifka finds herslef eating bananas, ice cream and chocolate. Luckly Rifka's ringworm is beginning to heal. -
Antwerp, Belgium
Rifka is finally going to America. Her ringworm is cured. When Rifka bought her ticket she choose the small boat. The HIAS lady told her on the big boat she would have to wait longer and would have to stay in steerage with all the poor people. Rifka's parents told her it would not be a pleasent trip.So Rifka said good bye to everyone and Gaston and Marie gave her a party. -
Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean
Rifka is at sea. On the boat she meets a young sailor named Pieter. He's like a big brother to Rifka, but at the same time he's not. Pieter and Rifka become good friends and she tells him everything. One day Pieter was telling Rifka of how clever she was, but Rifka refuses to believe so. Out of nowhere Pieter bends down and kisses Rifka. At that moment Rifka wished she could stay in this moment with Pieter. -
Atlantic Ocean
Rifka wakes herself up from being thrown onto the floor from the furious seas. The waves try to pull Rifka in, but luckily Pieter was there to save her. As she lay in the hold with all the other passengers, all Rifka could think of was Pieter. After 36 hours everyone was let on deck. When Rifka had asked one of the sailors where Pieter may be, she knew by the look in his eyes that Pieter was gone.Rifka cries all the pain that she felt in that year. -
Entering New York Harbor
Rifka arrives in Ellis Island. As the ship pulls into the harbor Rifka could see Miss Liberty. She looks apon a great statue of a woman, standing in the middle of the harbor, lifting a lamp to light the way for everyone on deck including herself. -
Ellis Island
Rifka was detained from going to America. The doctor examined her and put a chalk mark on her shoulder. Another HIAS lady with a red bun tried to help Rifka. They found out that since Rifka's hair still hasen't grown back, she proberly wouldn't be able to find a good husband. Which means the government would have to take care of her. Rifka was beginning to question Tovah's cleverness over beauty. -
Ellis Island
At Rifka's first ward she had to sleep in a crib. 2 days later she was transferred to another ward where she got her own bed. Then when Saul had come to visit Rifka they moved her yet agian. In the new ward Rfka helps out the nurses by translating and taking care of patients. She meets a little 7 year old boy named Ilya who follows her everywhere. Rifka cares for this child even though she knows her mother would not be pleased. -
Ellis Island
Saul came to visit Rifka at the ward. They talk about what has been going on in America and how Mama and Papa work all day, and how Rifka is an Aunt. But after Saul leaves, Rifka feels more alone than ever. -
Ellis Island
Rifka's mother finally came to visit. They talk about what happened in Antwerp and Rifka's hair. Even though Rifka had chores to do, she didn't want to leave her mom. So instead, Rifka showed her around and led her mother to the little Polish baby. After Rifka's mother leaves, she notices that Ilya, who usually was by Rifka's side, kept his distance from her while her mother was there. Rifka begins to worry that the doctors would send Ilya back if he did not prove that he was not a simpleton. -
Ellis Island
Rifka got in trouble. While Rifka & Ilya were taking a walk, they heard a machine. They went to go see the machine and while Rifka was listening to some workmen talk, Ilya went missing.She finds him in a stall unraveling toilit paper. Rifka freaks out and yells at Ilya. After the nurse inspects Ilya's shoulder, Rfka explains the whole situation. Everything is ok and after a while Rifka begins to laugh at the whole thing.She even begins to write her own poems, which of course are read by Ilya. -
Ellis Island
The little Polish baby died of typhus. Rifka also finds out whether she will be able to join her family in America or be sent back to Russia. Worst of all Rifka's ringworm might have not been fully cured.Her head began to itch. After coming all this way Rifka does not want to go back to Russia.