-
Going On The Train To Poland
Rifka and her family are left their home in Berdichev and our on their way to the train to Poland in Russia. They left their homes mainly because the soldiers wanted to take Rifka's older brother, Saul & Nathan,into the army, Nathan recently escaped the army and went back home, so now the whole family is trying to go to America. That's because Rifka's father does not want his sons in the army. Since her father knew if Nathan got caught from escaping he could be killed & they would take Saul,too. -
Going On The Tain To Poland Pt. 3
the guards to come and pretended to have someone rob his store. So while the guards were gone Rifka and her family went on the train to Poland without being caught by the guards. -
Going On The Train To Poland Pt. 2
Since Rifka and her family are escaping, they're trying to not get caught by the soldiers. So at the train station Rifka's family, especially her brothers, had to hide while Rifka trys to distract the guards and try to get them to go away. One guard believes her but the other doesn't and think she's hiding something. One guard almost caught where her brother Nathan was hiding, But Rifka's Uncle Avrum yelled for the guards to come. Her uncle really just pretends that his store has been robbed so -
Period: to
Rifka's Journey To The Land Of Dreams
-
At The Polish Border
When Rifka and her family arrived in Poland guards yelled at them to take off their clothes. They had to do it because a doctor had to examine them. After the examintation Rifka and her motherhad to go to a small building where they sprayed them with something vile. Then they all returned back on the train and the train began to move and continue until the next stop in Poland. -
Still In Poland
Rifka and her family are in Motziv, Poland. Rifka got sick and had the disease called typhus. The medical student said she should send all of them back to Russia because of Rifka's sickness, but Rifka's papa promised to take care of her. Unfortunately later on, everyboday in Rifka's family got sick except for Saul. Nathan and the parents get taken to the hospital and Rifka is with Saul. -
Getting Better
Rifka is getting better, better enough to move. Saul gets a cheap, rundown inn for them two until their Mama and Papa and Nathan get out of the hospital. Saul works while Rifka stays at the inn. One day, when Rifka was really strong enough, she walked around Motziv and ending up finding the hospital her mama stayed in. The hospital workers caught Rifka looking at her mama and yelled at her to go away. The next day Rifka came back, but this time a doctor caught her. -
Getting Better Pt.2
The doctor asks what she's doing and she says back, " I am watching over my mama." The doctor sooned ask her if she had typhus before because if you get typhus and heal from it you can never get it again. Since Rifka was better from typhus the doctor let her sit next to her mama. -
To Warsaw!
Rifka and the rest of her family were the lucky ones and survived typhus. So they're all on their way to Warsaw. While on the train to Warsaw, Rifka goes for a walk on the train and sees and young lady and her baby. The lady tells Rifka she has beautiful hair and Rifka ends up offering the lady if she would like for her to do her hair. Rifka says her head stank and realized these big round sores on her head, but Rifka did her hair anyways. -
The Terrible News
Rifka and her family arrive in Warsaw, Poland. They have money from the money her older brothers in America sent them, but then it end up getting stolen by an old man that tricked Rifka into buying his oranges. The old man took all her money and end up trying to accuse Rifka of stealing his oranges,too. But Rifka received terrible newa on not being able to go to America with her family because of her ringworm. -
The HIAS Lady
Rifka's parents talked with and HIAS lady. She told Rifka's parents that they and their sons will go to America, while Rifka gets sent to Antwerp and have someone in the HIAS organization watch Rifka and her health. The HIAS lady says Rifka can go to America when her ringworm is fully cured. -
TIme To Say Good-Bye
Rifka said good-bye to her family today. Rifka's mama gave her, her gold locket and her papa gave her his tallis. Today, Rifka also was also sent on a train to Antwerp. So she's in Antwerp right now. Rifka is staying with a couple named Marie and Gaston. It ends up being Rifka's birthday and she strangely, did her own mitzvah. Rifka is bald and Sister Katrina helps treat her ringworm. -
Goodbye Uncle Zeb
Rifka ends up getting lost after she ran away from the pure gold teeth,tall man. But as stopped for a breath a milkman pulled with his horse and cart. The milkman and his horse reminded her of her Uncle Zeb and his horse, Lotkeh. Rifka followed the milkman and soon asked him if he knew the way back to King Street, where she's staying, is. The milkman gave her a ride back to King Street and on their way there Rifka told the milkman about how her uncle rode a cart just like him. -
Goodbye Uncle Zeb Pt.2
the milkman how her uncle drove a cart like him. When they finally got there, Rifka passionately kissed his hand goodbye and thank you. That's because the goodbye to the milkman was like a goodbye for her Uncle Zeb. Rifka never got to say goodbye to her Uncle Zeb before he got shot. -
Life in Antwerp
Rifka says that Antwerp is a wonderful city and that the couple she stays with is very kind to her. She loves the food there,too. She enjoys bananas, ice cream, and chocolate! Sister Katrina says her ringworm is healing and Rifka would buy pretty hats and kerchiefs to cover her baldness. She also bought new clothes. -
The Time Has Finally Come !
Rifka's ringworm has finally healed and she can go to America! That day, a HIAS lady took Rifka around the steamship company when the doctor gave her permission to go to America. Rifka bought a ticket on a ship with no classes. In the morning she said goodbye to her friend Gizelle and later on that night Marie and Gaston planned a little party for her trip to America. -
Sailing Across The Seas
Rifka is now in a ship going to America. She says the ship is excellent with a little room, bolted bed to the floor, and a table that folds out. She doesn't really stay in her room because it's boring, so she would go to the lounge area and see the piano player play and go to the dance they have at night. During the day, she met a sailor named Pieter. Rifka and Pieter talk and she told him about her family. Pieter calls her brave and clever and then soon, bends over and kisses her. -
Who Knew What A Storm Can Take Away
Today, a really bad stormed hit the the ship and nearly drowned Rifka and others. Then Pieter finds Rifka and wraps her in a blanket and put Rifka in the hold. Then Pieter had to go and do his sailor duty. Finally when the storm was over, Rifka and other went on the deck. Rifka was looking all over for Pieter, but she found out that he had died. The engines died on that ship, so they had to wait for another ship to tow them to America. -
Miss Liberty
Rifka has arrived on Ellis Island. Rifka describes the Statue of Liberty as a, " great statue of a woman standing in the middle of the harbor. She was lifitng a lamp to light the way for us." -
A Hold Back
Rifka was detained to go to America because of her ringworm and her hair. The doctors that examined Rifka at Ellis want to make sure that her ringworm is fully cured. The doctors also worry that Rifka's hair will not grow back and the doctors believed that no hair will create no beauty and no beauty means no husband for Rifka. Rifka is still on Ellis Island. -
"Little Mother"
Rifka is in a hospital in her own ward where she has her own bed. She became pretty close with Nurse Bowen and would help the doctor and nurses with small things. One day, Rifka saw that there was a Polish orphan baby that had typhus and since she had typhus already she would care for the baby. Also, she met a stubborn,Russian peasant.He was just a little boy and refused to eat.But Rifka end up gettin threw him and would help take care of him,too. Ever since then,the boy was like Rifka's shadow. -
A Familiar Face
Saul came to visit Rifka today. He skipped school to juat see her. Rifka sees the handsome, strong man her brother is growing up to be. But Saul feel that Rifka looks different, and not because of her hair , but how big her eyes were. Rifka and Saul basically talk how they're lives been. Rifka tells him about her time in Antwerp and Saul tells Rifka about Mama, Papa, and the rest. -
A Familiar Face Pt. 2
Then Rifka asks Saul if Mama ever got her candlesticks back and Saul said no. So Rifka got all the money she saved from the money her parents sent her while in Antwerp and gave it to Saul. She told him to buy their mama new candlesticks. -
Mama Has Finally Come
Rifka's mama visited her today. Her mama asked her questions about Antwerp, her hair, and how she is now. Rifka told her about Antwerp and the sea storm. Soon after they were talking the Polish baby began to cry and Rifka excused herself from Mama. Rifka calmed the baby down and the had helped the nurses with the patients. Mama just watched everything Rifka did. Her mama actually said she was just like her father and that she was always good in learning new lanuages. -
Nurse Bowen Laughed At Me
Ilya got Rifka in big trouble today. He wondered off somewhere and Rifka found him unrolling the toilet paper and one of the workers saw them. Rifka just ran off with Ilya and came back yelling at Ilya to never to do that again. Rifka told Nurse Bowen about what Ilya did and she just laughed and said theres plenty of paper in America, but Rifka said in Russias it was a "terrible crime" to just waste paper like that. Nurse Bowen got Rifka a lot of paper and she started writing her own poems. -
Stay Optimistic
Today, Rifka found the Polish baby dead in her crib. She was so sad because she loved that baby and was sad that the baby had to die alone last night. Also, Mr. Fargate told me today that he'll let my family know tommorow what he will decide on my case. Rifka is so nervous about that because she does not want to get sent back. Rifka thinks her ringworm is coming back. -
America Here I Come...? Pt.3
does not need hair to have a good life. She also said that if she wants to get married then she'll choose to wether with hair or not. Iilya end up telling Rifka to read them her the poems she wrote. She refused to so Ilya just gave Mr. Fargate her poems and Mr. Fargate read it out loud. Mr. Fargate and everyone thinks her words are good. So Mr. Fargate really realized that Rifka can manage on her own without being married and allowed her to go to America. But as they were all hugging and all -
America Here I Come...?
Okay, so today is the day Rifka finds out wether she is going to America or not. Her whole family is here. Even her oldest brothers Asher, Reuben, and Issac with his wife and baby, that she never met, came. First, Mr. Fargate was talking about Ilya with his uncle. Mr. Fargate tis saying that Ilya is not smart enough because he doesn't speak or feed himself, but Rifka knew that was not true. The doctors didn't know how Ilya was only Rifka did. So Rifka asked Ilya to get her Pushkin and read to -
America Here I Come...? Pt. 4
her handkercief slipped off her head and they wanted to check how her head was but Rifka refused thinking she had ringworm again. But really, it was her hair growing back. -
America Here I Come...? Pt.2
the doctors. But of course Ilya was stubborn and didn't do anything but sooner or later he did read. Everyone was shocked and amazed that such a young boy could undestand poems. Ilya's unlce was so proud and they both hugged each other very passionately. Now it was Rifka's turn. The doctors told Mr. Fargate that her ringworm is fully cured, but he's still worried aboout her being bald and if her hair will grow back. Then Rifka end up standing up for herself and says that she is a good worker and