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. Feb 01, 2009 twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka. Essay and discussion questions are for the whole book. In a way, rifka and i had met many times more than 60, to be exact, in her columns, which were open and casual enough to feel almost like personal letters. Imagine yourself being tortured letters from rifka summary by your own country just because you had different beliefs, or. Letters from rifka through the looking glass childrens. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats. National jewish book award finalist, ala best books for young adults. 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. Are your students working on the book letters from rifka. There are a couple parts that i did have to skip they talk about undressing in. Letters from rifka and millions of other books are available for instant access.
Twenty years ago i was in third grade reading my first karen hesse book, letters from rifka. Pj our way offers free, monthly jewish chapter books to kids 911 years of age. 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. Also my grandparents were apart of this period in history and lived through many of the hardships described in this book. 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 carries with her a lone beloved volume of poems by pushkin.
It is 1919 and rifkas brother nathan has deserted the russian army. I learned more about jewish history from this book. Lessons and ideas books and authors top teaching blog teachers tool kit student activities the teacher store book clubs book fairs scholastic education. 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. When garnet finds a silver thimble in the sand by the river, she is sure its magical. Letters from rifka detail questions flashcards quizlet. It is 1919 and rifka s brother nathan has deserted the russian army.
Who got the soldiers to leave rifka alone at the train station in berdichev. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read letters from rifka. Jan 06, 2009 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. The story letters from rifka is about a jewish family. This is a brief video introduction to the novel letters from rifka to get students. Throughout her journey, rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by alexander pushkin. Letters from rifka lesson plans teachers pet, writing assignments. Youngletters from rifkaby karen hessetcan you envision yourself being in a country alone while the rest of your family travels across countries without you.
On their departure, rifka is given a book of pushkin poems by her cousin tovah. The relationship between rifka and saul is not very good she is scared of him but she still loves him. Letters from rifka, by karen hessei first ordered letters from rifka from a book magazine when i was a kid, and its a book ive held onto for about a decade. What food was rifka talking about when she said if the people of berdichev could taste it, they would give up eating everything else. 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.
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. Letters from rifka character descriptions for teachers. From newbery media winner karen hesse comes an unforgettable story of an immigrant familys journey to america. Setting letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Karen hesse lives in williamsville, vermont, with her husband, randy, and her daughters, kate and rachel. Beginning in russia in 1919, this epistolary novel, based on experiences of the. Ms hesse is also the author of wish on a unicorn, lesters dog and lavender. It not only has a video to show your class ellis island, but it also has activities your. 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.
If the guards discovered only one of them, perhaps the others might still escape. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon number of pages, complete the corresponding student journal pages, and meet to discuss. 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. 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.
Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Letters from rifka is a book that tells about a girlwho has to be left behind by her family because she has ringworm. For what clothing item did rifka want to save her money. Taken from real life experience of the authors aunt lucy, this is a compelling story of despair balanced with hope, of loss and then gain, of tragedy and then light. Rifka and her family have to escape to russia to get a better life.
Letters from rifka is the story of a young russianjewish girl and her family who leave their homeland in 1919 to travel to america. 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. Parent guide for letters from rifka by karen hesse. Rifka and her jewish family have fled russia for america. Short answer and multiple choice questions are listed by book section. There are a couple parts that i did have to skip they talk about. The time peroid for the story was during the 1920s, the setting occured in various places. 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. This is a brief video introduction to the novel letters from rifka to get students familiar with the history of russia during the russian civil war. It has comprehension questions broken up into 7 sections as well as a page for analyzing characters and settings.
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. Bartoletti has taken one episode from her newbery honor book, hitler youth, and fleshed it out into a full novel. Audiobook letters from rifka puzzle pack teacher lesson plans, activities, crossword. This novel study divides letters from rifka into six sections for study.
Letters from rifka is a childrens historical novel by karen hesse, published by holt in 1992. This is a novel study for letters from rifka by karen hesse. Letters from rifka book study guide docstoc documents. 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. Letters from rifka karen hesse summary rifka is a young girl who lives in russia. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. Up next 5 biggest makeup mistakes on mature eyes tutorial over 50 fabulous50s duration. Jewish boys are enlisted into the russian army against their will, forced to do hard menial labor such as. About for books letters from rifka by karen hesse video. Indeed it is within the pages of this beloved volume that rifka writes letters to tovah, letters describing her experiences and her feelings. I think this way because of the age of rifka in the book. We plan to read letters from rifka and meet on these dates. It features a jewish familys emigration from russia in 1919, to belgium and ultimately to the u.
Can you give me a summary on the book letters from rifka by. The book is a series of letters of rifka s journey and her dramatic experiences as her family flees senseless hate and bigotry with the hope of a new life in america. It tells of her journey to america and the struggles she has when she reaches ellis island. 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. As you read letters from rifka, use a problem and solution chart to show how. Letters from rifka comprehension questions worksheets. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to her. This lesson will give you discussion and comprehension questions you can use with your students to deepen understanding of the text and.
The russians and other people are treating the jews badly there. Her family decided to leave russia and take a train to poland where they got sick with typhus and were stuck there for weeks. My favorite highlights were when rifka and her family got typhus but survived. I think that throughout the book their relationship will change because when someone has a near lifedeath situation you only grow to love them more. Click here to visit our frequently asked questions about html5.
Hesse, karen letters from rifka 1992 i picked up this book at a school book fair because it looked quite interesting. This is a common core aligned packet for high elementary and middle school aged students who are studying letters from rifka by karen hesse. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to tovah. Library letters from rifka karen hesse video dailymotion. Rifka and her family are jews in a time when jews are hated by the russians.
But she dreams she will at last be safe from the russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the jews in the new country. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon. Character ilya surprised everyone when he started to talk. Plot summary letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton.
Read letters from rifka by karen hesse available from rakuten kobo. When a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate. Read book letters from rifka puzzle pack teacher lesson plans, activities, crossword puzzles, falterol. Shortly after they leave poland rifka develops a deadly. What food does rifka describe as like biting off a little corner of heaven.
In this book a jewish girl named rifka has to escape from russia with her family. Best product letters from rifka karen hesse video dailymotion. Big deals letters from rifka puzzle pack teacher lesson plans, activities, crossword puzzles, charroy. Twelveyearold rifka tells her story through a series of letters written to her cousin tovah. 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. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifka s 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. In 1919, rifka, age 12, and her family escape from russia. I chose this book because world war two era is very fascinating tome. Jan 06, 2009 letters from rifka ebook written by karen hesse. Why did rifkas family hide in different places around the train station. Aug 20, 2010 rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. Read the book form the group that will read letters from rifka. Letters from rifka ebook by karen hesse rakuten kobo.
A youth in nazi germany tells the truth about hitler. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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. I think letters from rifka is an excellent book for young adults. 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. Rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919.
Letters from rifka is a short childrens novel narrated by a 12 year old jewish girl fleeing russia in 1919. 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. 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. Also, i liked how she was the little mother of a polish baby when the babys real mom died from typhus. We read it in school for our immigration unit and karen hesse came in to talk to us. This puts the family at great risk, so to protect themselves, twelveyearold rifka and her family flee russia. Ms hesse is also the author of wish on a unicorn and the forthcoming lesters dog and lavender. 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. Based on a true story from the authors family, letters from rifka presents a reallife. What marine recruits go through in boot camp earning the title making marines on parris island duration.
891 378 1008 1541 259 1041 1429 420 1003 1233 642 317 1568 1498 455 624 1301 1328 173 1069 819 1139 1103 1491 717 129 758 1072 1355 1040 312 1470