Russia, 1916
In a small village populated by Russian-Jewish people, we are given a close-up of a house that was filled with light, laughter, and music. This house belonged to the Rosenberg family, and they were celebrating the bar mitzvah of their middle child, Mottel. Inside, we see people singing Hava Nagila and a little girl dancing; the girl had caramel brown hair, olive green eyes, and was wearing a white and yellow dress with white stockings and yellow shoes. Her name was Sellah, and she was the younger sister of Mottel and his older brother, Fyvush. When everyone finished singing, Sellah stopped dancing and happily bowed as everyone clapped for her. "That was pretty good, sister!" Mottel laughed, "But it seems like you're getting more attention than I am. After all, today is my special day!"
Sellah just made a smirk and giggled, "I know, Mottel! That's why I was feeling a little jealous!"
Sellah's mother, Hodel, came over to her daughter to embrace her and said, "Now, Sellah, you know that bar mitzvahs are very important days. It's okay to be merry when your brother is becoming a man, but you shouldn't get too carried away!"
"Your mother is right," commented Yehudah, the father of the Rosenberg children, "You'll have your bat mitzvah soon enough, little Sellah. In the meantime, you can go entertain your other brother, no?"
Sellah smiled at her father before she happily skipped over to Fyvush. The eldest Rosenberg son was working on a few card shuffling tricks, because he wanted to be a magician someday. "Fyvush!" Sellah exclaimed when she came over to her brother.
Fyvush dropped his cards all over the table he was at and floor as he said with annoyance, "Sellah! Look what you made me do!"
"Sorry, big brother," said Sellah, "But Papa was wondering if you'd like some entertainment from me."
Fyvush's expression softened as he said, "Sellah, I'd like another dance, but I've seen enough relatives and friends performing for Mottel today, that I'm practically worn out! Maybe you could read me a story from our good book instead?"
Sellah's face lit up as she went over to a bookshelf grab a book with stories from the Old Testament. The little girl always enjoyed listening to and reading stories about people receiving help from God, whether it was Jonah inside the whale, Moses freeing his people from slavery in Egypt, or Queen Esther saving her people from being slaughtered. While reaching for the book, Sellah noticed a little yellow light outside her window. "Mama, Papa!" she gasped with fear, "Look!"
Yehudah and Hodel ran over and were horrified by what they saw outside. "The Cossacks are coming!" Yehudah cried, "Children! We must turn out all the lights and make sure no one sees us!" Fyvush, Mottel, and Sellah hurried about the house, turning off every light and blowing out every candle they could find.
Now during this time period, Jewish people were feared and despised by the czars of Russia; not only did they worship differently than Russian Orthodox people, but they also only spoke Yiddish instead of Russian. Sellah and her brothers often heard news of other Jewish people being prosecuted, evicted from their homes, and even killed in villages that were miles away from the Rosenbergs' village. But Sellah never thought that the czar's bodyguards would ever come to her village, even though her family and friends took no chances whenever they could to protect themselves. After every light was put out, Sellah and her family huddled together in a corner of the living room to hide. The young girl covered her ears to cancel out the noises coming from outside: people running away from their burning homes and screaming. Just then, a rock came crashing through a window in the Rosenberg house, and then a flaming torch was tossed into the living room! Everyone screamed and got up on their feet before they ran towards the front door; they were horrified to find that it was blocked, and they couldn't get out! "We'll have to go out one of the windows!" Yehudah said before he pointed to a different window.
"Come on!" Fyvush told Mottel and Sellah as they ran towards the window; Hodel and Yehudah tried catching up, but a burning beam fell onto the ground, inches away from the mother and father!
"Fyvush, save yourself and your siblings!" Hodel cried, "Your father and I will manage our way out soon!"
Fyvush gave one last glance to his parents before he opened up the window with all his might, and then jumped out. He then called for the terrified Mottel to jump out next; Mottel did as he was told, and then Sellah nervously and fearfully followed her brother. And she did it in the nick of time, because another burning beam collapsed right in front of the open window. "Mama! Papa!" Sellah cried out. There came no reply; Fyvush and Mottel took their sister away to hide from the Cossacks in a nearby forest.
Several minutes later, after the Cossacks left the village, the Rosenberg children came out of hiding and tried to find their parents from the burnt remains of their house. While looking through the wreckage, the children were shocked and horrified to find the burnt bodies of their parents; little Sellah began crying as she ran over to hug her brothers. All Fyvush and Mottel could do was cry along with their sister. After several minutes of crying, Fyvush said with a lump in his throat, "That's it. We're going to America. There, no one will hurt us again."
"Then we need to find all our savings," said Mottel, "I just hope they didn't burn along with Mama and Papa."
All night long, the Rosenberg children searched all across the ruins of their house until they found the rest of their family's rubles; hopefully they would have enough money to pay for three people's passage to America. When the brothers counted things out, though, they became very discouraged. "I'm sorry," Fyvush sighed sadly, "But there just isn't enough for three people, only two. One of us is gonna have to stay behind."
Mottel's eyes became moist as he begged his brother, "Please, let me stay behind! I can go to St. Petersburg and get a job to help pay for my passage!"
Fyvush shook his head sadly and said, "No, Mottel. For one thing, you're only thirteen. And another thing is, if anyone in St. Petersburg, or Moscow, or anywhere else found out you were Jewish, they'd kill you or put you in prison! I think it would be best to take Sellah to an orphanage, and we'll write letters to her, and send her money…"
"WHAT?!" Sellah screamed with shock and sadness, "You can't be serious, Fyvush! You should stay in Russia! You're the oldest – you can get a job to pay for my passage, and then Mottel could watch over me in America!" Sellah buried her face into Fyvush's shirt and sobbed tears of betrayal and sadness.
Fyvush put his hand onto Sellah's head and said with sympathy, "Sellah, I know it's hard. But I would rather have a grown-up take care of you instead of a teenage boy like me. I'm only sixteen, you know. Besides, as soon as Mottel and I get our new addresses in America, we will write letters to you every day, and you could right back!"
"Really?" Sellah sniffed; her brother's words only gave her a little bit of comfort.
"Yes," said Mottel, "You'll always be in our hearts, no matter what." With that, Mottel took a deep breath and sang:
Come stop your crying, it'll be alright
Just take my hand, hold it tight
We will protect you from all around you
We will be here, don't you cry.
Fyvush pointed his finger at Sellah's chest and said, "We'll be right here in your heart, and you can think about us whenever you feel lonely." Sellah gave a sad and small smile as Fyvush sang:
For one so small, you seem so strong
Our arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm
This bond between us can't be broken
We will be here, don't you cry
Sellah hugged her eldest brother tightly as Mottel said, "Yeah, and we'll keep you in our hearts when we feel lonely, too." He and Fyvush then sang together:
Cause you'll be in our hearts
Yes, you'll be in our hearts
From this day on, now and forevermore
You'll be in our hearts
No matter what they say
You'll be here in our hearts
Always
Always and always!
Listening to her brothers sing made Sellah feel happier, even though she knew that they would be thousands of miles away for quite a while.
The next day, the Rosenberg children had packed up all the things they had left, and the brothers had taken their sister to an orphanage on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The brothers knocked on the main door, and a middle-aged woman known as Phlegmenkoff answered it. She coughed and inquired, "What is it you want?"
Mottel and Fyvush looked at each other with uncertainty, but then Fyvush turned to Phlegmenkoff and said, "We lost our parents in a house fire last night. Mottel and I are going to go find better lives in America, but we have to leave our little sister behind, because we don't have enough money for two people."
Phlegmenkoff seemed to show sympathy as she looked at Sellah and commented, "Oh, poor little dyevochka! Do you think she will join you later on in going to America?"
"Yes," Mottel answered, "Once my brother and I reach America and find jobs, we'll send money to you to give to Sellah so that she may buy a ticket someday."
"Well, don't you worry," Phlegmenkoff told the boys with a seemingly understanding smile, "The other orphans and I will take good care of your little one for the time being."
Sellah looked at her brothers with misty eyes and whispered, "I'm gonna miss you guys."
Mottel and Fyvush bent down to give their sister one last hug before they looked at her with sadness and said goodbye.
As soon as the brothers left to begin their long journey, Phlegmenkoff shoved Sellah into the door and frowned, "Alright! Your brothers are gone. Now you will stay with me and help me with chores – just like the other street rats and mice living here!"
Sellah gasped when she saw the woman's mood and personality change right in front of her. "But why?" she asked.
"From the moment you and your yarmulke-wearing brothers came here," Phlegmenkoff said with a grumpy look, "I knew that you were going to be nothing but trouble around here – all you Jews are the same. Street rats who beg for money, talk differently, and don't worship like the czar wants us to! Now go get that broom and start sweeping, Jewish girl!" Phlegmenkoff pointed to a broom in the corner, and Sellah reluctantly nodded and went over to the broom to begin sweeping.
All day long, poor Sellah worked hard at sweeping the floors, washing dishes, dusting furniture, and washing laundry. When nighttime came, Sellah got the dirtiest and tiniest room in the orphanage, because none of the other orphans wanted to associate with a Jewish girl. But early the next morning, things were about to change. Another orphan girl was brought to the orphanage. As all the other orphans (including Sellah) gathered to meet the new girl, Phlegmenkoff explained, "This little girl, who claims her name is Anna, was found unconscious at a railway station during a coup at the royal palace last night. Apparently, the Red Army is rising, and now the czar and his family have been murdered!" Everyone gasped when they heard that part before Phlegmenkoff continued, "But back on subject. Anya, here, will be staying with us until someone finds her and tries to get her memory back."
"She must have amnesia," Sellah whispered to herself.
Phlegmenkoff glared at her as she gave the orphan girl, whose name was clearly Anna or "Anya" as a nickname, a little shove and said, "Meet the others, girl! Let's go. Come on."
Anya nervously stepped forward with misty eyes. Sellah felt sorry for her, and looked at her with sympathy and compassion. "I'm sorry this happened to you," Sellah whispered to her with a sad smile, "My name is Sellah Rosenberg. I can be your friend."
Anya shed a tear and embraced Sellah with a hug. And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship…
Author's Note: The song "You'll Be in My Heart" is from the movie Tarzan. ((c) Disney)