The Community's Embrace

The chain of kinship and neighborly loyalty that carried the Antin family from Polotzk to Boston.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

All the Poor Relations

All the Poor Relations The Cousins in Full Force The bridegroom's aunts and cousins came in borrowed finery or undisguised shabbiness. Nobody thought of staying away except Henne Rösel. The Red-Flower Cousin The sensitive cousin refused to attend because the messenger had not flattered her enough. Grandmother had to drag her to the wedding. The Obligation of Kin The whole clan came to witness and to consume. Family meant a crowded wedding and a lasting claim.

Neighbors Who Pulled Them Through

Neighbors Who Pulled Them Through The Kind Hands Neighbors and cousins kept the household running while Hannah Hayye lay in bed. One brought soup, another watched the children. The Midnight Prayers There were midnight prayers in the synagogue for the sick woman, and petitions at her parents' graves. Three pious mothers bought her for a few kopecks as a charm. The Fabric of the Pale People had little, but they shared it with the stricken. The community was the only safety net under the wreck.

Cousin Rachel's Clever Ticket

Cousin Rachel's Clever Ticket The Stowaway Child Cousin Rachel carried Mary on the train without a ticket, hiding her under a shawl. The child played along and was perfectly happy. The Dual Conscience The cousin was honorable with the righteous and cunning with the unjust. Cheating the railroad was a scale in her coat of armor. The Community Code Mary learned the ethics of the Pale early. Solidarity within the clan was the first law.

The Farewell at Polotzk Station

The Farewell at Polotzk Station Half the Town at the Gate Pinchus's family and neighbors crowded the station, weeping and blessing. The procession resembled both a funeral and a triumph. The Babel of Voices Cries of "Don't forget," "Take care," and "Keep your tickets" drowned the warning bell. The crowd waved bits of calico and fell on each other's necks. The Living Cable The emigrants were strands of the cable binding the Old World to the New. The community let them go with messages and love.

The Jewish Community Claiming Mary

The Jewish Community Claiming Mary The Hunger for Kinship The whole Jewish community claimed kinship with Mary because she was a Jew. They pointed to her with pride. Frieda's Witness Wherever Frieda went, she heard her sister's name praised. The people made much of small triumphs. The Collective Pride The immigrant group fed on the achievements of its children. Mary's poem was a communal victory.

the wedding of Pinchus and Hannah Hayye

during the mother's long illness

the first journey to Vitebsk

the morning of the family's departure

after the Washington poem was published