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Escape from Russia
Rifka and her family were trying to escape Russia because her brother left the army and they were Jews. Jewswho left the3 army during this time in Russia were killed. They families were killed as well. Rifka distracted the gaurds with her blond hair and blue eyes as the redt of her family hid in boxcars on a train heading for Poland. Rifka's uncle Avrum also helped escape. He distracted the gaurds and told them that his factory hadbeen broken into, This let Rifka's family finally escape. -
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Rifka's Journey
Rifka was a Jew that lived in Russia how had to flee the country from people who would kill her. She travels through Europe with her family and faces many hardships. She gets delayed in Belguim as her family goes to America. Eventually she makes to her family and lives in america. rifka learned many things on her journey about life. -
Entering Poland
When Rifka and her family reached Poland they were rushed off the train and seperated into men and women. they were told to take off thei clothes so they could be examined by a doctor. Rifka felt exposed, which she was. She was with her mother and she did the best to sheild Rifka from the doctor. The others took their things to be fumigated and when they brought them back the candle sticks were missing from Rifka's rusack. She was mad about it but all her family got through the boarder saftly. -
Struck with Sickness
Rifka's journey got delayed due to the sickness typhus. She started to feel the sickness on the train. She begged her father to stop an dget off the train that was making her feel sick. Her father sent for a doctor and cam eup with a medical student. He sadi she had typhus and didn't have much of a chance of survival. Her mother and father and brither, Nathan, got sick as well and were brought to a hospital. Rifka was taken care of by her other brother, Saul, whom she hated. He teased her. -
Visting Mama
Rifka was feeling better and staying with her brother at an Inn. She tried to save food for Saul but a girl with horrible sores on her head stole the food she saved. Rifka went to go visit her mother but the nurses kept chasing her away. One doctor asked if she had typhus before and she did, He explaned that once you had the disease you can not have it again so he let her sit with her mother and he said it would be good for her health as well. -
Travling to Warsaw
Rifka was on a train traveling to Warsaw, Poland with her family who all fully recorved from the typhus. Rifka became very bored and went for a walk. Shefound a polish girl with a baby, Rifka offered to fix her hair for her so she would look nice for her sister whom se was visiting and the girl was happy to let her.The girl had big red sores all over her greesy scalp. when Rifka was done she went back to her family and ask to get off the train at the next stop but her mom said no. -
Being Rejected
Rifka and her family had to go through another examination to get a ticket to America. The doctor told Rifka could not go but her family could. Rifka couldn't go because she had ringworm. Her father tried to bribe the man at the ticket window but he refused. The doctor said there was a cure for ringworm but it would take many months. When Rifka lost all her money to a man selling oranges, she feared she would never be cleaver. -
Becoming an Orphan
Rifka's parents met with a women from the Hebrew Immigeant Society (HAIS) to take care of Rifka while her family went to America. The lady told her that she would stay in Belguim to get her treatment and that her parents have to leave for America so they work and make money to pay for the treatment and her food. -
Arrival in Anwerpt
Before her family left her mother gave her a gold locket she got from her mother and her father gave her his tallis. Rifka went to Anwerpt Belguim. She stayed in a nice house with an older couple named Marie and Gaston. She made herself a mitzfa to celebrate her become a women like the boys do on their 13 birthdays. She went to Sister Cristina for her treatments whitch her head gettin g scrubbed and sitting under a violet light. Rifka went bald because of her sickness and she says prayers for it -
LOST
Rifka finally goes out to explore Antwerp and she finds a man that was bigger than anyone she has ever seen. He smiled at her and she was so scared that she ran without thinking. She eventually stopped only to realize she was lost. She got a ride home from a milkman that reminded her of her descesed uncle. When she said goodbye to the man it was like she was saying goodbye to her uncle. -
Discorvering Antwerp
Rifka goes out to enjoy Belguim and discorvers different foods like chocolate, ice cream, and bananas. She went shopping for cloths with the lady from HIAS. Later she bought a velvet hat for herself that covers up her baldness with beauty. -
Saying Goodbye
Rifka's ringoworm was completely cured and she was going to America. The women from HAIS helped her buy a ticket. Rifka thought about wotking for HAIS when she was older. She said goodbye to her friends in the park and the people she stayed with and he nun that cured her disease. Rifka's hair did not start growing yet and it might never grow in. -
A Treasure?
Rifka boards a ship where she has her own room and it was a no class boat so everyone was treated equally. She made friends with a gentleman named Peiter who said she was s treasure to her brothers and parents. Rifa didnt know if this was true but she liked Peiter He kissed her and ran away becuase she was embarassed. Rifka didn't understand what happened all she knew was that she was going to be in New York soon with her family. -
The Storm
Rifka was woken up by the sudden mivements of the ship being thrown by the terrible storm. Rifka tried to find Pieter in the storm but he told her to go down to steerage so she would be safe. She gave him a last warning to be safe and he was gone. She spent 3 horrible days in steerage where everyone was seasick from the storm, even Rifka. When they were let out Rifka discoered that Pieter was lost overboard during the storm. Rifka cried about this and realized how precious each life is. -
The Harbor
After das of floating around in the Atlantic Ocean, the ship Rifka was on was being towed to New York Harbor. She remembered a letter her father worte her saying that "at Ellis Island you are neither in nor out of America. Rifka now thought of America as a chance to start again and not as excitement and adventure. When pulling into the harbor Rifka and the other passengers saw the Statue of Liberty lighting the way to America. -
No Hair, No America
Rifka was shocked to find out she wasn't alowed to enter America. During her examination, the doctor put a chalck mark on her shoulder and she was put in with the other detainies. a Lady from HIAS explained how the doctor was concerned about her ringworm and her hair. The woman said that without hair she might not be able to catch a husband and without a husband she might become a social responsiblility of the government. This ment it was either her hair grew or she would sent back to Russia. -
The Russian
Rifka became a helper to the doctors that worked in the ward. She translated and took care of a little Polish baby. The baby's mother died of typhus and the baby is sick with the typhus. Rifka holds the baby and rocks her and sings her Yiddish lullabies. She also has another responsiblity. She found weak across the table and he wouldn't eat anything so they would send him back to Russia. He was a Russian peasent so Rifka had mixed feelings but she helped him get food and Ilya became her shadow. -
Saul
Saul came to visit. He thought she was different and he was amazed with her English. Iyla came over to Rifka and Saul was angery that she was friends with a Russian peasent and that she was reading a Russian book. He grabbed he book and her Jewish Star broke. She was mad at him but they did not want to fight so they let it go past them. He told her how he goes to shcool and everyone else worked all the time, even on the sabath. Rifka gave him money so they didn't have to work on the sabbath. -
Mama
Rifka's mother came to visit her in the ward. She brought her a cake for her thirteenth birthday. Rifka ate the whole thing and enjoyed every bite. They talk of why Rifka wasn;t alowed in America. While they were talking the baby started crying and Rifka went to go hold her. Then, other chores kept poping up and she took care of them as her mom stood there and watched. She said that Rifka was just like her dad. Ilya stayed away this time and Rifka thought how he is smart thoughothersthinkheisnt. -
Paper
Ilya got Rifka in trouble by unraveling all of the toilet paper in a bathroom. A construction worker came over a threw the roll out the window. Terrified, Rifka grabbed Ilya's hand and ran. She yelled at him never to do tht again. A nurse asked her what happened and she told her. The nurse laughed. She explained that wasting paper isn;t a crime in America like it is in Russia and there is plenty of it to use. -
The Baby
The polish baby that Rifka cared for in the ward died of typhus. Rifka found her in her crib in the morning, dead. She talked to Mr. Fargate and he said her case would be decided tomorrow ad so would Ilya's. Rifka was afraid because her head started itching again. She questioned her whole journey and thought of going back to Russia. -
America (Continued)
instead of ringworm they found hair! They rejoiced even more and Saul told her of a whole blank book that was waiting for her to write in when they got home. Finally Rifka was in America! -
America
Rifka's and Iyla'scase were being decided. Rifka told Iyla to read Pushkin to prove he wasn't a simpleton so her could live with his uncle who wanted to give him a better life. He read and was allowed into America. Mr. Fargate tried to check Rifka's head for hair but shetold him that she didn'tneed hair to find a husband. Iyla told her to read but she knew it would not work for her. Iyla read the poemsRifka wrote and she too was allowed into America. While celebrating, her kerchief fell off and
