Land of Hope by Joan Lowery Nixon

Author:Joan Lowery Nixon [Nixon, Joan Lowery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-82747-0
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2013-11-27T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE Levinskys were directed to the dining hall, a large room filled with rows of long wooden trencher tables and benches. None of them had eaten for a long time, and in spite of Leah’s tears and the family’s worry about Mordecai, they wolfed down the sardines, the boiled potatoes and carrots, and the thick slices of fresh rye bread.

But Rebekah’s thoughts were a torment. How could the inspector even consider the possibility that Mordecai might need public assistance? What did he mean when he spoke about Uncle Avir’s neighborhood and mentioned a sweatshop? Avir had written only about how well he and Aunt Anna lived in the United States.

“What shall we do?” Leah asked. “Is there anything we can do?”

“Nothing but wait until we are told the board’s decision,” Elias said glumly.

Rebekah sat up stiffly, as she remembered the woman who had come to speak to them. “There is something we can do,” she told her parents. “Esther Greenberg told us the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society would help us. All we have to do is find her. She’ll know how we can help Grandfather.”

Leah stopped crying. “In this huge crowd, how will we find her?”

Rebekah hesitated only a moment before she swung her feet over the bench. “There must be someone in charge, Father. Should I ask one of the guards?”

“Your English is best, so go ask,” her father consented.

Rebekah asked a passing uniformed guard. “Wait here with your family,” he ordered. “We’ll tell Mrs. Greenberg that you want to talk to her.”

Rebekah and her family waited for Mrs. Greenberg nervously, but it wasn’t until Jacob had gulped down a second plate of food that Mrs. Greenberg appeared in the dining hall.

Taking time for only a hasty greeting, Leah explained the situation and asked in Yiddish, “Can you help Mordecai?”

“He is my father,” Elias told Mrs. Greenberg. “He won’t become a public charge. I can take care of him.”

“I’ll see what I can find out,” Mrs. Greenberg told them.

“Could we see Grandfather? Could we talk to him?” Rebekah asked.

“The Board of Special Inquiry will not allow immigrants to talk to friends or relatives until they’ve made their decisions,” Mrs. Greenberg answered. “But I’ll do everything I can to help.”

Leah gave a long sigh of relief, but Mrs. Greenberg said, “I don’t want to give you false hope, Mrs. Levinsky. There is no telling what the board will decide. It is made up of three inspectors, not always the same ones. Some of them tend to be lenient, but others are very hard on people with physical disabilities. Lately, there has been a great deal of public objection to allowing so many immigrants into the United States, and the inspectors on the board have been more strict than usual.”

“Why do they object to us?” Rebekah asked.

“They are afraid of having to support you,” Mrs. Greenberg answered. She rested a hand on Rebekah’s shoulder. “Don’t look so worried. I’ll see what the situation is, and I’ll join you on the first floor.

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