Warsaw, Poland, 1924

Miriam Gott was excited and anxious just like a little girl, although she was not young anymore. She was the second in line to the office, the office that in a short while will give her the long-awaited visa, the visa to America.

In the past few nights, she couldn’t sleep. The thoughts about America drove her crazy. But that didn’t matter anymore. All she had to do was pick up the visa, make the last move and end a two-year effort. From here, she will hurry to the train station and from there, to the ship and, America – get ready, here I come! She reached into her inner well-hidden overcoat pocket and felt the boarding pass to the cruise umpteenth.

Two years, she thought to herself, and what two years they have been. So many things happened in the past two years. It started with the matchmaking. She was to be wed to Avrehmel. Her father and the groom arranged all the details as if she is some sort of property for negotiation. She knew who Avrehmel was, but never met him. He was considered one of the best “catches” in town and all details were agreed upon, but she had her mind differently and refused to marry him, a completely unacceptable act in the strict Orthodox community she lived in. She didn’t want Avrehmel and didn’t want to live in Warsaw, a city she hated. She dreamt of America. She pictured some photos she once saw in a magazine, pictures of tall buildings, skyscrapers. That’s where she wanted to go, that was her dream. Her father was furious with her for declining the matchmaking, the family was a mess, and a parade of aunts and cousins tried to convince her to change her mind, each one in her own way. But she stuck to her decision and vehemently refused. The matchmaking was canceled, the shame was unbearable, her father’s world collapsed, and she was thrown out of her home with nothing but the clothes she was wearing. None of her family members spoke to her ever again. When she passed by them, they would turn their heads, not willing to admit there was a chance they know her. The banishment was absolute. At the age of 20, she found herself completely alone, disconnected from everything she knew, detached from her family and community. Here, she smiled to herself, two years have passed, two years of struggles and hard work, two endless years in the damp sawing workshop in the shabby basement. And now, after saving enough money, penny to penny, now she’s on her way to America. 

The line grew longer, and people gathered, but she was immersed in her thoughts and dreams, hardly noticing the happening around her.

She glimpsed at her watch, eager for the office to open. In the past few days, she sold and gave all her belongings, everything she had accumulated in the past two years. All she had left was tucked into one suitcase, with which she will start her new life on the new continent.

The clerks took their time, enjoying a few more minutes of quiet before they started their daywork. Miriam raised her head and looked around at the people standing in line. Right next to her was a Jewish family, they spoke Yiddish and she smiled at them, having trouble hiding the joy on her face. The older man, probably the father, smiled at her. Next to him was a young man about her age. She smiled at him, and he immediately blushed and lowered his eyes.

“Itzik Winter, my son,” spoke the older man, “you can say hi to the nice lady.”

“I’m not a lady. Miriam is fine, Miriam Gott,” she answered in Yiddish.

“My name is David Winter, and this is my son Itzik and these are Itzik’s sisters,” he presented to her two young girls, “and this is my wife, Malka Winter. Now you know the entire family, except for Dvora, the eldest daughter…” he said and sighed. Miriam managed to exchange a few words with the family before the office opened.

David Winter awaited this day for months, and it finally arrived. Everything was arranged. He’s taking his family to Palestine. Only Dvora was missing, Dvora that always feels she must do things her own way, that once she made up her mind, nobody and nothing will change it.

He came up with the idea to immigrate to Palestine after reading Herzl’s book ‘The Jewish State’. On that day, he made up his mind. His neighbors said he was crazy, the crazy man that goes to Palestine while everybody else goes to America. But he was determined. 

“You can’t complain that Dvora is stubborn when you act like this,” said his wife repeatedly. “Everybody is going to America, and you are going to Jaffa. Does it really surprise you that Dvora is stubborn?”

For several weeks now, the Winter family argued. David and Malka insisted that the entire family travel together when Dvora was determined otherwise. David managed to arrange visas for everybody, the British Mandate authorities provided them with certificates, but Dvora refuses to join. She insisted on going to Palestine with her youth movement friends, not with “mommy and daddy.” 

“Just until we arrive at Jaffa,” he begged, “and then you will join your friends from the youth movement,” he tried to make one last attempt, but she refused. “I’ll see you in Palestine, our group departs tomorrow, and I’ll wait for you there,” she said, not giving him a chance. 

David Winter stood before the clerk and collected the visas. 

Miriam Gott approached the clerk and requested her visa.

The man raised his head “doesn’t the lady read the papers? It was published yesterday,” he said, “there are no visas to America.”

Miriam thought she was going to faint; all her life savings were spent on the cruise ticket… all her dreams of America… This is impossible…

“What do you mean there are no visas to America? I already purchased a ticket,” she said, presenting it to the clerk.

“America closed its gates a few days ago. No more immigrants are allowed. There are no visas to America.”

“But it can’t be…” she said with tears in her eyes, “I have a ticket.”

“Dear lady, there are no visas to America. Actually, you’re lucky. There are thousands of people on ships in the middle of the sea, unaware that they’ll arrive at closed gates. What will they do when they arrive? God knows. I’m sorry,” he said and turned to the next in line.

Miriam sobbed uncontrollably, not knowing what to do. Somehow, she managed to find her way among the crowd and set on a nearby bench, fearing she will faint. She was so overwhelmed that she didn’t notice everybody was looking at her. 

David Winter saw what happened. He heard fragments of the conversation and immediately understood. He was the first to approach her, sit by her side, giving her a spotless ironed handkerchief. His family gathered around them. The girls tried to cheer her up. Itzik stood by.

***

The bride walked to her wedding in the sandy alley that was leading to the wedding hall. Since she had no family members, the sisters of the groom accompanied her, walking by her side and holding her dress so it will not drag on the sand. When she entered the hall, everybody stopped talking and started clapping and cheering. A few meters before the altar, she stopped and waited. The groom approached her, blushing and nervous, and covered her face with the veil. Shakily, he led her to the altar.

The Rabbi initiated the ceremony.

Miriam whispered to Dvora Winter, standing by her side, “well, what do you know? Instead of America, I found Hadera and on top of that, I found a husband, Itzik Winter, all thanks to you, sister, all thanks to you giving me your certificate, you and your youth movement…”

Dvora squeezed her hand warmly, holding it between her two palms. She whispered loud enough for her father to hear “this is all thanks to stubborn Dvora, as stubborn as a mule… she and her youth movement…”

The Rabbi looked at them, Miriam and Dvora tried not to laugh, while David and Itzik Winter smiled.