My great-grandmother grew up in early-twentieth century Ukraine, in the shtetl (village) of Berezdov, where antisemitic violence was common. As a young teenager, she and her younger sister made a dangerous journey through Eastern Europe by themselves, eventually emigrating to the United States. The history of pre-World War II antisemitism, and the stories of early Jewish refugees are rarely discussed. Like many descendents of immigrants, I was told fragments of Yocheved’s life by various relatives. For this project, I am using original documents, first-hand accounts, and genealogical research to tell her story on paper, for the first time.

• Eden Greene