Letters from Rifka

“I wanted Saul gone. He drives me crazy. From his big ears to his big feet, I cannot stand the sight of him. Good riddance, I thought.”

At the beginning of Letters from Rifka, Rifka makes references to bickering with her older brother Saul, who is nearest to her in age among her siblings. She admits to Tovah that she was initially glad to hear that the Russian army wanted to compel Saul into service, though that point of view quickly dispels as her family begins its treacherous escape from Russia. As the novel goes on, Rifka’s feelings about Saul soften, and the two ultimately develop a relationship of love and respect, even as Rifka becomes more independent.

“Courage or not, of all of my family, only I could stand before the Russian soldiers, because of my blond hair and my blue eyes. Papa, Mama, and the boys, they all have the dark coloring and features of the Jews. Only I can pass for a Russian peasant.” 

Describing the tense moments on the train platform as Russian soldiers search the boxcars, Rifka explains the significance of her hair and appearance. Her light hair and features set her apart from her family and enable her to help facilitate their escape without being singled out as Jewish. Rifka attributes her success on the platform to her appearance, but as the novel proceeds and she ultimately loses her hair, she begins to prove that she does possess a sense of courage that comes solely from her personality.