Letters from Rifka

Karen Hesse's award-winning historical novel, Letters from Rifka, tells the poignant story of a twelve-year-old Jewish girl's emigration from Russia in 1919. Told entirely through letters Rifka writes to her cousin, the book chronicles her family's escape from anti-Semitic persecution, their difficult journey through Europe, and Rifka's personal struggles with illness, separation, and the challenges of Ellis Island. It's a powerful narrative of resilience, courage, and the enduring human spirit, offering a deeply personal look at the immigrant experience and the historical context of the Russian Civil War and early 20th-century immigration to the U.S.

Daunting tale of a Jewish girl's journey during Anti-Semitic Germany.