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Boarding the Train
On September 2, 1919, Rifka's family had to leave Russia on a train. Her older brother Nathan had left the army to warn his little brother Saul that guards were coming to take him for the army. However, if Nathan returned, he would have been killed. So, the family had to lquickly leave before the guards found Nathan. Rifka had to pretend to be a Russian-German and occupy the guards who were searching the train so they wouldn't find her family who were hiding in the cars. She succeeded. -
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Letters from Rifka
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Entering Poland
Unpon entering Poland, Rifka and her family had be medically examined. They were forced to remove all their clothes and be searched by a Polish doctor. He asked Rifka if she was sick, then was brought to a room where she was sprayed with "something vile" that burned her skin and face. She and her family then got on the train and were returned their belongings, minus the candlesticks, and got dressed. They then entered Poland which looked very similar to their small town in Russia. -
Typhus in Motziv, Poland
After her encounnter with the vile spay before crossing the border, Rifka began to feel ill. The family stopped in Motziv where the father had a cousin and stayed there for a few weeks. Her father found a Russian-spaking medical student who defined Rifka's illness as typhus which is often deadly for children. Soon, her whole family, besides her brother Saul caught typhus. Her mother, father and Nathan were soo ill, they were taken to a hospital. Rifka, was left to stay with Saul. -
Just Rifka and Saul
Rifka and Saul soon moved out of her extended family's shed and moved into a chep inn. The owner of the inn was a thief, and his daughter even stole some of Rifka's little food. Her brother found work at an orchard while Rifka was still partially ill. When she was feeling better she began to walk along the streets and soon found where her mother was staying and would watch her from a window. Then, a doctor allowed Rifka to sit with her mother. -
Stuck on a Train
In this entry Rifka and her family are on a train in Poland. She is extremely bored, but her mother wont allow her to leave the train at any of the stops in case they should leave without her, There she met a young, poor girl with a baby and helped do her hair. -
The Path Changes for Rifka
During this time Rifka is denied a trip to America. She, unlike the rest of her family, didn't pass her medical examination. She had ringworm and probably caught it from the poor girl from the train. No matter how they bribed, Rifka couldn't get a ticket. -
A Trip to Belgium
After denied a ticket to America, Rifka is helped by Jewish Help Organization. They promised to take care of Rifka in Belgium until she no longer had ringworm while her family were all in america making money to then send her to the United States. -
A Home in Belguim
In Belguim, Rifka was given a home. Her temportary home was beautifully furnished and she lived in luxury that she wasn't used to.She went to treatments for her disease often and was sent money from her family. Although her life was better than before, she was in terrible pain from missing her family. -
Experiencing Antwerp
One day, after walking home from her treatments, Rifka triedtaking another route home. However, she soon found herslef lost with the night swiftly approaching.Although she was very scared, she asked a milkman for directions and reminding her like her dead uncle, she kind man brought her home. The stranger treater her differently than others from Russia would have. -
Loving her New Home
Rifka began to love her new home in Belguim. She loved the people and their kindness the lack of discrimination because of her baldness and religion. She aslo especially found a love for the Belgian foods such as choloclate, ice cream, and bannannas. -
A Farewell to Antwerp
Rifka was finally granted permission to get a ticket to America. Although her ringworm had cleared up, she still didn;'t have any hair. However, she was eager to leave for America as soon as possible so she boarded a small ship instead of traveling in steerage. Rifka was finally going to America after one year of anticipating. -
A Trip on the Atlantic
Rifka travelled to America in a boat that she found very luxurous. It was on this boat that she met a worker named Pieter. The two of the became close friends, and soon Rifka saw their frindship bloom into something bigger. -
A Terrible Storm
While on her voyage to America, Rifka's once beautiful boat encountered a storm. The storm almost killed Rifka before Pieter saved her and put her into steerage. However, she Pieter whent back out to fight the storm, he went overboard. After the storm the ship was in ruins and unable to move. While waiting for help, Rifka cried for all that had happend sinfce her escape from Russia. -
Arriving at Ellis Island
Rifka was about to arrive at Ellis Island. Although she was scared about the tests she needed to take, she was excited to once again reunite and even meet her family. Rifka said that America now mean more than a place to escape from Russia, it was a place for oppertunity. -
Held In Ellis Island
Rifka, after landing in Ellis Island wwas required to be tested. Although she passed all her other diseases, she failed her medical exam so they held her there and put her in a hospital for contagious diseases. They were not worried about her ringworm, they were worried that her lacking hair would not get her a husband, and then the government would have to take care of her. If her hair doesn't begin to grow soon, she will be sent back to Europe. -
Time in The Ellis Island Hospital
Rifka soon began to enjoy living on Ellis Island. She is very helpful around the hospital, she takes care of a baby with typhus, because it is was no longer contagious for her. She also took care of scared little boy who was a Russian peasant, he wanted to starve himself so he would be sent back to Russia, but Rifka helped convince him otherwise. She also befreind a nurse. Saul tried to visit her, but they couldn't find her since she was changed wards. -
Reuniting with Saul
Rifka finally was able to see Saul when he visited her. They were both surprised to see how they both have changed. She learned that her parents worked hard at a clothing factory and Nathan worked at a barkery, and they all worked hard, long hours. She also learned that she was an aunt and how tight money was for her family. So, she sent Saul off with some extra money she had saved and had him buy her mother new candlesticks and to use the rest so her parents didn't have to work on the sabbath. -
Mother Visits
Rifka's mother visited her in the hospital. She was very diappointed with her daughter's bald head but she tried not to show it, she even brought her daughter a honey cake. She watched Rifka take care of the sick baby and nurse other patients while Ilya kept his distance. Rifka told her mother about the year that passed and realized that both she and Ilya were stuck in the hospital, one wanting to be in Russia and the other in America. -
An Adventure for Ilya and Rifka
Rifka and Ilya were exploring an unfamiliar part of the hospital when Rifka got distracted my a balcony. Soon, Ilya was gone. Rikfa began to fret, but soon found him unrolling toilet paper and began to scold him because paper was pericous in Russia. Then a worker threw the unrolled wad of paper into the harbor and the two ran, scared they would be in trouble. However, they both learned that paper was plentiful in America and so, she was given paper to add to her book. Ilya loved her poems. -
Death and Decisions
During the night, the baby with typhus that Rifka would take care of died. Rifka was deeply saddened, she also found out that the next day they would decide if she and Ilya would be able to stay in America. Rifka's scalp also began t itch again, so she hoped the ringworm wasn't back again. THe couldn't bear the idea of going back to where she had left, what seemed to be a lifetime ago. -
Good News
Both Rifka and Ilya were grated permission to enter America. They believed that Ilya was a simpleton. However, Rifka convinced him to read from her book and the officials saw that he was actually very intelligent, and was granted permission. Rifka was also able to convince the officials that she could succeed in life with or without hair. After a lot of talking, she believed her and her papers were approved. In all the excitement, her kerchief fell off and revealed growing hair.
