If it had not been for your father, though, i think my family would all be dead now. Letters from rifka student workbook common core aligned. What king said in his letter had to make a person think that not all laws are good for the group in society and morality is a justifiable excuse in breaking the law. Predict how the soldiers remarks in the second brack eted paragraph will make rifka. Letters from rifka is the story of a young russianjewish girl and her family who leave their homeland in 1919 to travel to america.
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. After a lot of talking, she believed her and her papers were approved. The power of pushkins poetry in karen hesses letters from rifka. What special items are wrapped in rifka s backpack. Modeled on the authors greataunt, rifka surmounts one obstacle after another in. In 1919, rifka, age 12, and her family escape from russia. If the guards discovered only one of them, perhaps the others might still escape. 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. 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. On there journey to america they have to overcome many obstacles in. Among contemporary honors it won the 1993 national jewish book award in category childrens literature. National jewish book award finalist, ala best books for young adults, sydney taylor award, ira childrens and young adults book award, horn book magazine fanfare list, utah childrens book award.
However, rifka convinced him to read from her book and the officials saw that he was actually very intelligent, and was granted permission. Rifka s three older brothers who are in america have saved enough money to send for them. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read letters from rifka. Twelveyearold rifkas journey from a jewish community in the ukraine to ellis island is anything but smooth sailing. See more ideas about newbery award, russian revolution and book letters. Dec 16, 2015 letters from rifka by karen hesse in chm, epub, fb2 download e book. Ms hesse is also the author of wish on a unicorn and the forthcoming lesters dog and lavender. Rifka s family quickly packed up their things and left.
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. We read it in school for our immigration unit and karen hesse came in to talk to us. Twelveyearold rifka endures the worstshe has ringworm and is not allowed to go to america. This story talks about the issues addressed when immigrants are trying to get. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more. I want to have a copy of this book to keep and read for years to come and then to pass on to newer readers. However, rifka convinced him to read from her book and the officials saw that he was actually very intelligent, and was. Setting letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
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. Just when rifka s troubles should be over she finds herself facing new hardships. He addresses these claims through his effective use of pathos, logos, and egos. I remember being so fascinated by rifkas story i still think back to it today. Rifka s entries to her cousin were more selfsoothinginterior explorations than a real attempt at correspondence. Twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka.
Her family had to flee russia so her brothers would not be killed because they fled their regiment in the russian armed services. Also, i liked how she was the little mother of a polish baby when the babys real mom died from typhus. The power of pushkins poetry in karen hesses letters. My favorite highlights were when rifka and her family got typhus but survived. Rifka was also able to convince the officials that she could succeed in life with or without hair. 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. Her family decided to leave russia and take a train to poland where they got sick with typhus and were stuck there for weeks. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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 cousin who remains. 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. Letters from rifka by karen hesse in chm, epub, fb2 download e book. Letters from rifka karen hesse summary rifka is a young girl who lives in russia. Also my grandparents were apart of this period in history and lived through many of the hardships described in this 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. 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. Studying this novel expands the exploration of the value tikvah, hope, the theme of the shevat 5764 issue of babaganewz. The only way she documents all this is through the book of poems her cousin. Jul 31, 2014 rifka explains her escape to her cousin, in the form of a letter.
Can you give me a summary on the book letters from rifka by. I learned more about jewish history from this book. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Rifka writes letters in the margins of a book of pushkin to a cousin still in russia, telling of her loneliness, fear and determination to join her family. Pushkin september 2, 1919 russia my dear cousin tovah, we made it. Plot summary letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. 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. Letters from rifka and millions of other books are available for instant access. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to tovah. We plan to read letters from rifka and meet on these dates. Read the book form the group that will read letters from rifka. Compile all of them as a workbook, or use them separately as needed. Be sure to include both physical and emotional characteristics as well as personal motivations, fears, etc. 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.
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. 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. Twelveyearold rifka s journey from a jewish community in the ukraine to ellis island is anything but smooth sailing. 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. Based on a true story from the authors family, letters from rifka presents a reallife heroine with an uncommon courage and unsinkable spirit. Imagine yourself being tortured letters from rifka summary by your own country just because you had different beliefs, or. Rifka makes the difficult journey from the ukraine to america and records the adventure, as well as her solo journey to rejoin her family after being separated from them, in a series of letters. The time peroid for the story was during the 1920s, the setting occured in various places. The story letters from rifka is about a jewish family who has decided to leave russia to go to america. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Tell the students that this book is broken into individual letters, instead of chapters. Character rifka s star of david fell out of her book and broke. Rifka yells at the boy because in russia using paper when not.
To ask other readers questions about letters from rifka, please sign up. The teacher reads the questions and gives students an opportunity to think silently about responses. She would not have had access to writing paper, nor the luxury to carry that paper with her. 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. 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.
As you read letters from rifka, use a problem and solution chart to show how. The purchase of this book entitles an individual teacher to reproduce pages for use in. Letters from rifka by karen hesse goodreads share book. Rifka yells at the boy because in russia using paper when not necessary is a crime. The book is super unique in that it is written as series of journal entries or letters. As rifka was walking around with the small boy he got lost and began playing with toilet paper. Aug 20, 2010 rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. It features a jewish familys emigration from russia in 1919, to belgium and ultimately to the u. The letters, each prefaced by a few telling lines of pushkin, tell of the fear, indignities, privation, and disease. The story letters from rifka is about a jewish family. The soldiers came to the boxcars to search for nathan, and rifka distracted them. This puts the family at great risk, so to protect themselves, twelveyearold rifka and her family flee russia.
When a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate. 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. Over the duration of the journey, pushkin as a symbol becomes more and more valuable. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading letters from rifka. Karen hesse is the author of many books for young people, including out of the dust, winner of the newbery medal, brooklyn bridge, phoenix rising, sable and lavender. They chose rifka because she could speak russian and she had light hair and blue eyes. Sections date we will finish reading date we will discuss 1. Choose from 500 different sets of letters from rifka 2 flashcards on quizlet. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to her. They made this decision because they are jews and if they stay in russia the nazis will kill them.
I chose this book because world war two era is very fascinating tome. Twelveyearold rifka tells her story through a series of letters written to her cousin tovah. Letters from rifka by karen hesse 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 detail questions flashcards quizlet. Why did rifka s family hide in different places around the train station.
What is missing from rifka s rucksack when the guards returned her belongings. Letters from rifka by karen hesse book read online scribd. Indeed it is within the pages of this beloved volume that rifka writes letters to tovah, letters describing her experiences and her feelings. Papa said, your brothers in america have sent for us, rifka. Always, to help her, she has the book of pushkin poems that her beloved cousin tovah gave her. 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. Outline the major historical events, people, wars, and documents that played.
This lesson will give you discussion and comprehension questions you can use with your students to deepen understanding of the text and. It is 1919 and rifka s brother nathan has deserted the russian army. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifka s family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. Letters from rifka through the looking glass childrens. Pj our way offers free, monthly jewish chapter books to kids 911 years of age.
She has received honors including the scott odell historical fiction award, the christopher award, and the macarthur fellowship genius award, making her only the second childrens book author to receive this prestigious grant. Just when rifkas troubles should be over she finds herself facing new hardships. In the book, rifka describe her father as the bravest man she has ever known. Free letters from rifka study unit worksheets for teachers to print. It is 1919 and rifkas brother nathan has deserted the russian army. This book is an indepth look at a 12 year old girls struggle to get to america from russia. A comprehensive database of letters from rifka quizzes online, test your knowledge with letters from rifka quiz questions. Personal response rifka yelled at ilya for wasting paper.
Students research their own familys migration to america or another country. Paper background, textured background, vintage backgrounds, free scrapbook paper. Letters from rifka character descriptions for teachers. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon. Procedure teachers choose four openended questions for student exploration. What is missing from rifkas rucksack when the guards. Are your students working on the book letters from rifka.
Free letters from rifka worksheets and literature unit for. Rifka s compelling story, relating her burgeoning maturity and ability to cope with her situation, is presented in letter. 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. Terms in this set 54 what gift did tovah give rifka in berdichev. 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. In this paper, i will talk about martin luther kings letter from birmingham jail. Rifka writes letters to tovah in the margins of the book of poetry because she has no other paper and she wants to preserve this journey for both her cousins and herself. The teacher posts each question on butcher paper and tapes these papers in four corners of the room. It is time to leave russia and we are not coming back. Occasionally, when i grab a banana, i remember rifka laughing about how people on the island used bananas to tell if someone was a new immigrant. However, they both learned that paper was plentiful in america and so, she was given paper to add to her book. Our online letters from rifka trivia quizzes can be adapted to suit your requirements for taking some of the top letters from rifka quizzes. Throughout her journey, rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by alexander pushkin. On their departure, rifka is given a book of pushkin poems by her cousin tovah.
Letters from rifka comprehension quiz proprofs quiz. Letters from rifka book study guide docstoc documents. Explain the concept of what a letterbased novel is and cite examples that support your answer. These print easily in black and white and can be copied front to back to save paper. Rifka s family hid in the trains boxcars, and rifka had to distract the soldiers. Lessons and ideas books and authors top teaching blog teachers tool kit student activities the teacher store book clubs book fairs scholastic education.
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