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. Rifka tells her mom about hows she been while in belgium. Teachers pay teachers is an online marketplace where teachers buy and sell original educational materials. Twelveyearold rifkas journey from a jewish community in the ukraine to ellis island is anything but smooth sailing. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon. Both rifka and ilya were grated permission to enter america.
Strategies i would use to survive if i were placed in her situation. What key features of rifka s character are revealed in this passage. 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. Learn letters from rifka with free interactive flashcards. Historical ficton is a story about the past or that is based on past events, such as the holocaust, the civil war, wwi, wwii, the revolutionary war and many more. Letters from rifka and millions of other books are available for instant access.
Plot summary letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Characters letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. There are a couple parts that i did have to skip they talk about undressing in front of the soldiers, pretty descriptive. Letters from rifka is about a family traveling from russia to new york, america. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifkas family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Also my grandparents were apart of this period in history and lived through many of the hardships described in this book. Pj our way offers free, monthly jewish chapter books to kids 911 years of age.
Read the book form the group that will read letters from rifka. Rifka looks up to her and has a strong conection with her. 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. 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. Twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka. Free flashcards to help memorize facts about letters from rifka vocabulary words 158. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. For most of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the jews of russia faced prejudice and unfair treatment. They are going to help you out while you read the selection from letters from rifka emma likes to ask questions about what youre thinking while you read alex tries to answer emmas questions and asks for your help along the way with the help of your coaches youll be a literary whiz in no time. This book made me think more about the importance of family. This is a quiz to see how well you know the book letters from rifka. 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. In this excerpt from letters from rifka, a jewish family begins their escape from russia after the turmoil of world war i. What is a book talk and how can you use book talks in the classroom.
This fine, page lesson culminates with each group getting together to meet for an exchange of ideas about rifka, and what she experienced on her trip to america. Free letters from rifka study unit worksheets for teachers to print. To tell her i wanted only to find a quiet corner, where i could open our pushkin. Genre letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Karen hesse is the author of many books for young people, including out of the. Studying this novel expands the exploration of the value tikvah, hope, the theme of the shevat 5764 issue of babaganewz. I chose this book because world war two era is very fascinating tome. A locket, the kind that rifka s mother placed around her neck before her mother left for america. How to be productive at home from a remote work veteran. Aug 20, 2010 rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. Historically, public talks were of 45 minute lengths. 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.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading letters from rifka. Her father does not want her brothers to fight in the russian civil war. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to her. She can pick up, and learn new languages very quickly. Letters from rifka timeline timeline created by kittycat. Choose from 500 different sets of letters from rifka flashcards on quizlet. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Also, i liked how she was the little mother of a polish baby when the babys real mom died from typhus. Letters from rifka comprehension quiz proprofs quiz.
You might want to read the book before you take the quiz. Free letters from rifka worksheets and literature unit for. Character rifka s star of david fell out of her book and broke. In the middle of letters from rwca, rifka writes, i would have liked to fly away, to race back up the road, stopping at every door to say goodbye, to say that we were going to america. Letters from rifka karen hesse summary rifka is a young girl who lives in russia. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more. Rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. Have students use a blank world map to trace the journey of rifka and her family. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifka s family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. 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.
In letters from rifka, rifka and her family travel to many countries before arriving in the united states. The narrator of rachel cusks lethally intelligent novel, outline, is a. Letters from rifka is a short childrens novel narrated by a 12 year old jewish girl fleeing russia in 1919. In 1919, rifka, age 12, and her family escape from russia. She wants to stay in berdichev, ukraine with her uncle avrum, her cousin tovah. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon number of pages, complete the corresponding student journal pages, and meet to discuss. However, rifka encounters many difficulties along the way.
A while back, the writer rivka galchen, visiting a writing seminar of mine. 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. This puts the family at great risk, so to protect themselves, twelveyearold rifka and her family flee russia. Character ilya surprised everyone when he started to talk. My favorite highlights were when rifka and her family got typhus but survived. Other activities to help include hangman, crossword, word scramble, games, matching, quizes, and tests. 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. What is missing from rifka s rucksack when the guards returned her belongings. 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. Rifka also shows her mother about the boy who looks at rifka as a mother.
Twelveyearold rifka s journey from a jewish community in the ukraine to ellis island is anything but smooth sailing. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Then have students briefly research each country and provide relevant. Her family had to flee russia so her brothers would not be killed because they fled their regiment in the russian armed services. On their departure, rifka is given a book of pushkin poems by her cousin tovah. Letters from rifka is a childrens historical novel by karen hesse, published by holt in 1992. 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. 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.
This is a great during reading or after reading assignment. She did not like your teaching me pushkin in berdichev. However, rifka convinced him to read from her book and the officials saw that he was actually very intelligent, and was granted permission. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Tovah is the person rifka is writing to all throughout the book. 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 carries with her a lone beloved volume of poems by pushkin. There are a couple parts that i did have to skip they talk about undressing in. Click to read more about letters from rifka by karen hesse. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. The story letters from rifka is about a jewish family. 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. This book is an indepth look at a 12 year old girls struggle to get to america from russia. This letters from rifka lesson plan is suitable for 6th 8th grade. Attached are 90 trivia questions about the book the terrible two by mac barnett and. Our weareteachers guide is chockfull of teacher and student tips. Because i had decided to use the epistolary format to tell rifka s story, i needed, within the internal logic of the book, to provide her with the means to write.
Letters from rifka is in the historical fiction genre. Small groups read assigned chapters from the book, letters to rifka, then work together to fill out comprehension worksheets associated with their chapters. Read a quote from the book, ask a question of your audience, introduce the main character. Read the book, take notes and compare and contrast with other class. 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.
What is missing from rifka s rucksack when the guards. Modeled on the authors greataunt, rifka surmounts one obstacle after another in. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. 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 book project by carra bell on prezi. Rifka s mother talk to her about how it has been in america. These public talk outlines are used for giving a sermon at their weekend meetings, held in local kingdom halls around the world.
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. Karen hesse born on august 29, 1952 baltimore, maryland is an american author of childrens literature and literature for young adults. It provides the reader an understanding of what life was like during a particular time period. Her letters to her cousin tell of rifka s bravery and loy alty to her family. Rifka s mother nathan rifka s father saul rifka rifka is brave,smart,and loving. 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. Mar 17, 2017 i had a book report due and got a group of friendsover 9000 gamer, camera man,tessa constantine rifka, isaac lowe nathon, cameron the beast saul editor. Sections date we will finish reading date we will discuss 1. It features a jewish familys emigration from russia in 1919, to belgium and ultimately to the u. 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.
Jehovahs witnesses have quite a selection of public talk outlines that elders and ministerial servants can choose from. What is a book talk your guide to making them work in the. 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. I learned more about jewish history from this book. Based on a true story from the authors family, letters from rifka presents a reallife heroine with an uncommon courage and unsinkable spirit. 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.
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. It is 1919 and rifkas brother nathan has deserted the russian army. Throughout her journey, rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by alexander pushkin. 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.
She would not have had access to writing paper, nor the luxury to carry that paper with her. Aug 19, 20 letters from rifka chapter questionssummaries. 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. But she dreams she will at last be safe from the russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the jews in the new country. Rifka and her family belongs in america, but at first she wants to stay in berdichev, ukraine because rifka said she does not want to be the new girl. I remember being so fascinated by rifka s story i still think back to it today. Because i had decided to use the epistolary format to tell rifkas story, i needed, within the internal logic of the book, to provide her with the means to write. Rifka writes to tovah, your gift to me, the book of pushkin, i did not pack. The narrator of rachel cusks lethally intelligent novel, outline, is a cipher.
Rifka was also able to convince the officials that she could succeed in life with or without hair. She studied theatre at towson state college, and finished her undergraduate degree at the university of maryland in english, psychology, and anthropology. Feb 01, 2009 twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka. Hesse, karen letters from rifka 1992 i picked up this book at a school book fair because it looked quite interesting. I have never been in another country before not even another village says rifka. She has many troubles through her trip, including ringworm, and the typhus. We plan to read letters from rifka and meet on these dates. Free english vocabulary flashcards about rifka vocabulary lis. It is 1919 and rifka s brother nathan has deserted the russian army. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to tovah. Among contemporary honors it won the 1993 national jewish book award in category childrens literature. Top tips for effective video conferencing with prezi video.
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