Hannah is an almost 13-year-old Jewish girl living a comfortable, modern life in New Rochelle, New York. Frustrated by her family's focus on remembering the past, she feels disconnected from her heritage until she mysteriously time-slips into 1942 Poland. There, she is known as Chaya Abramowicz, an orphaned girl recovering from cholera. She struggles to balance her modern sensibilities with her terrifying new reality.

Gitl is a strong-willed, pragmatic, and fiercely independent woman living in a 1942 Polish village. Taking in her orphaned niece, she acts as a stern but deeply loving guardian. She rejects traditional gender expectations, notably by refusing to marry simply to be a caretaker, and uses humor and resilience to face adversity.

Shmuel is Gitl's brother and Hannah's uncle in 1942 Poland. A hardworking farmer, he possesses an infectious cheerfulness and a warm, open heart. Despite his strong physical presence, he freely admits his nervousness about his impending marriage, demonstrating a gentle and deeply human vulnerability.

Rivka is a ten-year-old girl who has survived in the concentration camp for nearly a year. Having lost almost all her family members, she relies on harsh logic and strategic wisdom to stay alive. She becomes an invaluable mentor to Hannah, demonstrating incredible resilience and selflessness.

The blokova is a non-Jewish prisoner placed in charge of other prisoners at the camp. She maintains order through cruelty and strict compliance. She bears the physical marks of her own punishment, missing several fingers, showing the brutal hierarchy forced upon everyone.

Commandant Breuer is the Nazi officer in charge of the concentration camp. He treats the prisoners with terrifying, clinical detachment, viewing them merely as disposable labor or pets. He uses false kindness and polite language to mask his lethal intentions.

Aunt Eva is Hannah's favorite aunt in the present day, living in the Bronx with her brother, Grandpa Will. Unmarried and without children of her own, she helped raise Hannah's father and shares a quiet, special connection with Hannah. She carries the silent weight of a painful history.

Grandpa Will is Hannah's grandfather in modern-day New York. A survivor of the concentration camps, he is heavily traumatized and prone to sudden, frightening outbursts triggered by memories. His behavior often bewilders and embarrasses his young granddaughter.

Fayge is Shmuel's wealthy bride-to-be, the daughter of a respected rabbi. She is given the rare privilege of marrying for love rather than arrangement. Used to a sheltered life, she is gentle and initially struggles to comprehend the severity of the danger facing their community.

Yitzchak is the village butcher in 1942 Poland. A widower with two young children, he is a practical man who hopes to marry Gitl. Though Gitl finds him monstrously pragmatic, Hannah sees him as a sweet, well-meaning father.

Rabbi Boruch is Fayge's father and a spiritual leader in the Polish community. He is a solemn, devout man who deeply loves his daughter. He leans heavily on his faith during times of crisis, believing that their fate is ultimately in God's hands.

Tzipporah is Yitzchak's young daughter. She is a quiet, innocent child caught up in the horrific events alongside the wedding party.

Reuven is Yitzchak's young son. Like his sister, he is an innocent bystander swept into the nightmare of the Holocaust. His vulnerability brings out the protective instincts in Hannah and the other women.

Rachel is an enthusiastic local girl from the Polish village who immediately declares herself Hannah's best friend. She is captivated by Hannah's stories and represents the bright, untainted youth of the community before disaster strikes.

Shifre is one of the young girls from the 1942 Polish village. She befriends Hannah and becomes one of her close companions through the harrowing journey into the camps, drawing comfort from Hannah's storytelling.

Esther is a girl from the Polish village who befriends Hannah. As the horrors of the camp escalate, she struggles deeply to maintain the will to live, illustrating the devastating psychological toll of their environment.

Yente is another young girl from the village who joins Hannah's circle of friends. She is part of the innocent group shattered by the Nazi invasion.

Hannah's mother is a modern woman living in New Rochelle who acts as the moral anchor regarding family heritage. She insists on the importance of the Seder and honoring the memory of their family's suffering, despite her daughter's resistance.

Aaron is Hannah's younger brother. He is anxious about reciting the Four Questions at the Seder. His presence brings out a protective, playful side in his older sister.

Leye is a fellow prisoner in the concentration camp and a mother to a young baby. She navigates the horrors of the camp with fierce maternal instinct, relying on silent cooperation and practical gratitude to keep her child safe.

Wolfe is Rivka's brother, forced to work in the Sonderkommando, disposing of bodies in the camp. The trauma of his horrific duties has left him emotionally numb and hollowed out, a devastating example of the camp's psychological destruction.

Rosemary is Hannah's Catholic best friend in New Rochelle. She represents the secular, privileged, and carefree life that Hannah prefers over her family's solemn religious traditions.

The badchan is a professional Jewish jester hired for Fayge and Shmuel's wedding. He possesses a sharp, almost prophetic wit, quickly identifying the ominous nature of the arriving Nazi soldiers.