Zelzah a tale from long ago by Norma Fox Mazer

 

Zelzah, a Jewish girl lives with her parents and sisters in farm Poland. Her family is poor. She is surprised about the names her mother had given her and her sisters. Her mother wants her daughter to feel special about their name.  Later her mother wants Zelzah to marry. She gets hear from her sister in America. She has 4 sons and she wants one of them to marry with Zelzah. And her mother wants her to marry with good boy and decides to send her to America.  When Zelzah arrives America, her aunt is picking her up in New York City and they travel to Vermont together. Zelzah meets her four cousins. She is surprised by Jake, one who she will marry, he is beautiful guy. She also met her cousin Ephraim, he has met new girl, and her name is Grace. Later Zelzah is told that Grace is pregnant by Jake, so they marry. Zelzah decided to move to NYC and worked by dress factory. During working in dress factory Zelzah went to high school. She wants to get high school diploma. And she sends money to her sister Shulamith then she could move to America too. She also works in dress factory and goes to high school. Then Shulamith meets man and married. Three sisters are married expect Zillah and her oldest sister Ruth. Later Zelzah gets College Bachelor and gets job in NY. At the end her parents were death and Zelzah is not married.

Reading Jake’s letter, again that impulse to laugh overcame Zelzah. Although here was no one to see her. She stuffed her fingers into her mouth, stifling the laughter. She didn’t understand herself. Was this a laughing matter!

Leaving my home, N. Fox Mazer, Zelzah a tale from long ago, pg 194

After Zelzah heard that Jake’s wife Grace is death by childbirth. She did write a letter about becoming his wife and send it to him. He responded it to her and said he does not want to marry with her because he is still grieving about his wife. Zelzah was laughing; it does not matter to her. I was surprised she did think about it. I think she never wants to marry, but she did for her mother.

She was humming under her breath, her mind was filled with details of the day ahead of her. Was she happy? Who could say? Zelzah, herself, never thought in such terms. What was happiness? Did anyone know?

Leaving my home, N. Fox Mazer, Zelzah a tale from long ago, pg 199

Zelzah realized later she probably was not happy. If she is married, she probably will be happy. She does not know even about that. I think she does not care about it because she is focus on things what she wants to finish it, such as her high school diploma, college and job. I cannot image myself to think in that way. I want to be happy with myself. People always think about their happiness