This book made me think more about the importance of family. This article is within the scope of wikiproject novels, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to novels, novellas, novelettes and short stories on wikipedia. Using her quick mind and her capacity for language, rifka finally makes it to america and is reunited with her family at ellis island. Karen hesse calls letters from rifka a gift to my grandparents and to my heritage, and to people like rifka who have made the passage between two worlds. In letters to her cousin, a young jewish girl chronicles her familys flight from russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in belgium for a teachers lessons and ideas. Her family had to flee russia so her brothers would not be killed because they fled their regiment in the russian armed services. Karen hesse is the author of many books for young people, including out of the dust, winner of. Introduction this study guide aims to provide material to help in the preparation of a lesson, unit, or book club discussion about the novel letters from rifka by karen hesse. In the book, rifka describe her father as the bravest man she has ever known. Letters from rifka 1993 read online free book by karen. Character ilya surprised everyone when he started to talk. In letters to her cousin, a young jewish girl chronicles her familys flight from russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in belgium for a. Setting letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Our online letters from rifka trivia quizzes can be adapted to suit your requirements for taking some of the top letters from rifka quizzes.
Rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. Because she has no spare paper, she uses the blank spaces of the book to write letters to a. This puts the family at great risk, so to protect themselves, twelveyearold rifka and her family flee russia for america in the hope of a better life. Letters from rifka is a short childrens novel narrated by a 12 year old jewish girl fleeing russia in 1919. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon. The purchase of this book entitles an individual teacher to reproduce pages for use in. She studied theatre at towson state college, and finished her undergraduate degree at the university of maryland in english, psychology, and anthropology. Imagine yourself being tortured letters from rifka summary by your own country just because you had different beliefs, or. The first letter from rifka was dated september 2, 1919 in russia. Letters from rifka is the story of a young russianjewish girl and her family who leave their homeland in 1919 to travel to america. Short answer and multiple choice questions are listed by book section. Letters from rifka is about a family traveling from russia to new york, america.
Essay and discussion questions are for the whole book. Bartoletti has taken one episode from her newbery honor book, hitler youth, and fleshed it out into a full novel. She endures prejudice, displays family loyalty, and shows perseverance and growth. Teams english language arts ong windows ong on my world. Feb 01, 2009 twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka. Letters from rifka is a childrens historical novel by karen hesse, published by holt in 1992. Hesse published letters from rifka, based on stories. But she dreams she will at last be safe from the russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the jews in the new country. When a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate to the united states, she spends nine months living in warsaw, with her care overseen by the hebrew immigrant aid society. Things just dont seem to work out for her and her family though and she ends up being left behind. Rifka is a girl whose family is trying to flee russias horrible treatment and go to america.
There are a couple parts that i did have to skip they talk about undressing in front of the. A multiaward winning book, letters from rifka inspires readers to be brave and resourceful and to never give up. Letters from rifka character descriptions for teachers. Hesse, karen letters from rifka 1992 i picked up this book at a school book fair because it looked quite interesting. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to tovah. Her family decided to leave russia and take a train to poland where they got sick with typhus and were stuck there for weeks. Letters from rifka by karen hesse in letters to her cousin, a. Ms hesse is also the author of wish on a unicorn and the forthcoming lesters dog and lavender. Letters from rifka by karen hesse in chm, epub, fb2 download e book. Rifka and her family are so close to getting their ticket to america, but first they ahve to go through an examination by a doctor. For each country rifka visits, have students label that country on the map. Good reads under rifka s family escapes russias persecution of the jews in but rifka is forced to stay behind when her family leaves for america. When ilya had his case read out his uncle was their and he told ilya that he wanted to come to america with him.
Kate kerrigan talks about her tv book club summer read, ellis island. Why did rifka s family hide in different places around the train station. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This book has won many awards, including the national jewish book award. When garnet finds a silver thimble in the sand by the river, she is sure its magical. In the last ten years i have reread the book over and over until i know quite a few passages by heart.
Then have students briefly research each country and provide relevant. The power of pushkins poetry in karen hesses letters from rifka. Letters from rifka through the looking glass childrens. Follow rifka as she travels to america to avoid the harsh reality of life in russia. In letters from rifka, rifka and her family travel to many countries before arriving in the united states. Letters from rifka summary letters from rifka is the story of a young russianjewish girl and her family who leave their homeland in 1919 to travel to america.
She is a young girl who is russian and jewish, a fact which has been hard for her family and which has subjected them to much persecution. Learn letters from rifka with free interactive flashcards. Because she has no spare paper, she uses the blank spaces of the book to write letters to a cousin who remains in the motherland. The time peroid for the story was during the 1920s, the setting occured in various places. Letters from rifka and millions of other books are available for instant access. All questions are taken from our litplan teacher pack for letters from rifka, but you dont need to haveuse the litplan to use this slide presentation. In letters from rifka, rifka and her family travel to many. The letters, each prefaced by a few telling lines of pushkin, tell of the fear, indignities, privation, and disease endured as they traveled through poland and into. A youth in nazi germany tells the truth about hitler.
Karen hesse born on august 29, 1952 baltimore, maryland is an american author of childrens literature and literature for young adults. Are your students working on the book letters from rifka. She is a russian girl who is intelligent, generous and witty but who has a curved spine and so is considered less marriageable than her sister. The entire book consists of letters that rifka wrote to her cousin tovah, detailing the heartinyourthroat moments that surround her jewish familys escape from russia to poland then ultimately to the united states.
This puts the family at great risk, so to protect themselves, twelveyearold rifka and her family flee russia. Along the way she faces many obstacles and the only way she feels comfort is when she writes in a book called pushkin, that her cousin gave her. Letters from rifka book study guide docstoc documents. Windows on my world letters from rifka teams distance learning. Jewish content and values a realistic and engaging depiction of one familys emigration from eastern europe to america, complete with yiddish phrases and precious shabbat candlesticks. Letters from rifka plot summary letters from rifka is a story about a jewish girl that escapes to america because her brothers are wanted by the german army. On their departure, rifka is given a book of pushkin poems by her cousin tovah. Free letters from rifka worksheets and literature unit for. It is 1919 and rifka s brother nathan has deserted the russian army. Students should think about this and decide on a person they admire and respect. Also my grandparents were apart of this period in history and lived through many of the hardships described in this book. I first read letters from rifka when i was about 12 years old. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading letters from rifka. In two of her longer novels, letters from rifka and a time of angels 1995.
Beginning in russia in 1919, this epistolary novel, based on experiences of the authors greataunt, tells how 12yearold rifka nebrot and her family fled the antisemitism of postrevolutionary russia and emigrated to the us. But she dreams that in the new country she will at last be safe from the russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the jews. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Then rifka made him read some poems ffrom her pushkin book and he did. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Letters from rifka by karen hesse in letters to her cousin, a young jewish girl. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifkas family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. Jan 01, 1992 letters from rifka by karen hesse can you envision yourself being in a country alone while the rest of your family travels across countries without you. Also, i liked how she was the little mother of a polish baby when the babys real mom died from typhus. In this book karen hesse beautifully captures the horrors of what it was like to be a jew living in russia and eastern europe during the early part of the twentieth century.
I chose this book because world war two era is very fascinating tome. Have students use a blank world map to trace the journey of rifka and her family. It features a jewish familys emigration from russia in 1919, to belgium and ultimately to the u. My favorite highlights were when rifka and her family got typhus but survived. It is 1919 and rifkas brother nathan has deserted the russian army. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. She has many troubles through her trip, including ringworm, and the typhus. Why did rifkas family hide in different places around the train station. If the guards discovered only one of them, perhaps the others might still escape. As you read letters from rifka, use a problem and solution chart to show how. What special items are wrapped in rifka s backpack. I learned more about jewish history from this book. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to tovah, the beloved cousin she has left behind. Indeed it is within the pages of this beloved volume that rifka writes letters to tovah, letters describing her experiences and her feelings.
Twelveyearold rifkas journey from a jewish community in the ukraine to ellis island is anything but smooth sailing. Throughout her journey, rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by alexander pushkin. I dont remember which school i was going to at the time of reading or why i even picked up this story, but i vividly remember the impact it had on me. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifka s family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. Karen hesse in letters to her cousin, a young jewish girl chronicles her familys flight from russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in belgium for a while when the others immigrate to. A comprehensive database of letters from rifka quizzes online, test your knowledge with letters from rifka quiz questions. Tovah had scoliosis and was made fun of for it but since her family was rich she made it through life fine. Aug 20, 2010 rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. Letters from rifka is a kids novel that is a good read if you want to know more about life as a jew in the past. When a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate. Tellingly, when she speaks of this work, involving hours every day, she. The excerpts of poetry from her book, pushkin, are beautiful and moving, and applicable to every page they are found on.
Just when rifka s troubles should be over she finds herself facing new hardships. This book is an indepth look at a 12 year old girls struggle to get to america from russia. In 1919, rifka, age 12, and her family escape from russia. Click to read more about letters from rifka by karen hesse. This lesson will give you discussion and comprehension questions you can use with your students to deepen understanding of the text and. Twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka. Tovah also gave rifka a poetry book written by alexander pushkin which she wrote the letters in. Letters from rifka karen hesse summary rifka is a young girl who lives in russia. Read the book form the group that will read letters from rifka. Sections date we will finish reading date we will discuss 1. Through a series of letters to her cousin tovah, a young russian jew describes her familys journey to america to escape the hardships imposed upon the jews during the years surrounding world war i.
Letters from rifka by karen hesse when a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate. The power of pushkins poetry in karen hesses letters. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. She carries with her a lone beloved volume of poems by pushkin. Even you, tovah, tell me i should not speak unless i have something tosay. Knowing she will not likely see her cousin again, rifka begins to write a series of letters to her cousin on the blank pages of the pushkin book and eventually on the end papers and margins. Choose from 500 different sets of letters from rifka 2 flashcards on quizlet. See more ideas about newbery award, russian revolution and book letters.
When it is rifka s turn the doctor tells her and her family that she will not be able to travel to america because she has a skin disease of her head, rifka believes she caught it from the woman on the train. Free letters from rifka study unit worksheets for teachers to print. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. In the book letters from rifka by karen hesse, a young jewish girl named rifka, has to go through an experience such as escaping religious belief and running away from pogroms. We plan to read letters from rifka and meet on these dates. Can you give me a summary on the book letters from rifka by. On ellis island rifka meets a new friend named ilya, but he first does not talk to her nor will he eat, so everyone thinks hes a simpleton. Beginning in russia in 1919, this epistolary novel, based on experiences of the. To ask other readers questions about letters from rifka, please sign up. Always, to help her, she has the book of pushkin poems that her beloved cousin tovah gave her. Plot summary letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Pj our way offers free, monthly jewish chapter books to kids 911 years of age. Choose from 500 different sets of letters from rifka flashcards on quizlet.