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. 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. She writes about all of the problems she has to get through. Rifka and her family get on a train that they are not allowed on, but since Rifka has blond hair she can distract the guards from checking the box carts until the train starts to leave. They stop at the Polish boarder and are examined by doctors. One of the doctors is sick with typhus, but Rifka and her family do not know that. When they get into Poland her whole family gets sick with Typhus and they have to stay in the hospital for a very long time. After they get better she and her family get on a train to go to a boat station. On the train Rifka meets a young Polish girl who has Ringworm. After they get off the train they are examined by more doctors at the boat station. The doctors tell Rifka she cannot go to America because she has a skin disease called ringworm. Rifka has to stay in Belgium to get treatment for her ringworm. After a year of treatment Rifka gets to go on a ship to America. On the ship she meets a boy named Peter who dies in a storm. When Rifka gets to Ellis Island she is told that she cannot go into America because her hair has not grown back. After months of waiting to see if she can get into America, she is finally let in to live with her family.