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RachelAnna Grutski is not only pretty, creative and hardworking, but also a veryself-assured and independent girl for her time. Her life was never easy. Bornin 1868 in the Jewish colony of Zakova (kolonja Izaaka/Isaaka/Izakova), not farfrom Bialystok and Grodno, Rachel had to toil hard to help provide for thefamily`s livelihood. Even as a very young child, she worked long hours in herfamily‘s household and agricultural fields, in a matzo bakery, and later in theBialystok textile factories.

 She describes the Jewish daily life andhistory of the colony, the economic and personal challenges she, her familymembers and neighbours face, and she details the plight of the Bialystokfactory workers and the world of Bialystok’s richest factory owners.

 Rachel is touchingly devoted to her family andmusters almost superhuman strength for them, working  her way up in the factories with cleverness,skill, and incredible diligence, and develops survival skills and wisdom in the face of ever-changing problems anddifficulties.

 We walk through the streets of Bialystok withRachel and meet her colleagues, friends and later husband, Avrom ItskhokKositza, who lives in the city`s poor district. Despite setbacks and hardships,the small Kositza family grows and faces new challenges with determination,experiencing small victories along the way.

A deep shock is left by the Bialystok pogromof 1905, which Rachel and her family barely survive. But finally, Rachel seesno future in her homeland and emigrates to America in 1906, where her lifestory continues.

The authorof the translation sincerely thanks her dear friend Susan Pasquariella, wholovingly and patiently proofread the English translation and shares theauthor`s great excitement and enthusiasm for Rachel Anna Kositza and hermemoirs.

BeateSchützmann-Krebs  dedicate thistranslation to Tomek Wisniewski for the opening of his smallest Jewish museumin the world in Bialystok, The Place.