Although a family of Jewish immigrants finally reunites after long separation, there are misunderstandings and awkwardness between them. For a little boy, who lives under the name of David Schearl, this is a drastic change. Due to the fact that the boy spends all his time with his mother, Genya , and gets used to the absence of his father, he is scared of Alfred. He becomes even more frightened, when his father grabs the boy’s heat and throws it away. Tone Alber speaks to his wife is rather cold, frustrated and exasperated. As it soon gets clear, 1907 is a year, when a lot of people come to America, that’s why a playground, where David spends his time is full of children, who speak different languages. While this country is often referred to as the Golden Land, David’s family lacks money. Courtesy of Albert’s suspicions, his family is even more alienated than other immigrant, not to mention that the father’s attitude to his son is far from being cordial. Due to a strong feeling of alienation, the boy and his mother become close.
After entering a Hebrew school, the boy’s natural brightness blooms under influence of Yidel Pankower . David’s fascination with religion and power of God grows rapidly. Apart from school, his life doesn’t change greatly. He starts helping his father, who works as milk delivery man. When he sees how his father beats a man nearly to his death, his fear of father only increases. Later on, David meets a new acquaintance and can’t help being infatuated with him. After reassuring David that his rosary is not a usual one but magic, Leo promises him to give it to him. In his turn, David promises him to arrange a meeting with his cousins. He brings Esther to a candy shop’s cellar, where she is raped by Leo.
Being rather agitated, the lad goes to Yidel and makes up a story that Genya is his aunt and calls himself to be a result of an affair between his real mother, who according to him is dead, and a man of non-Jewish origin. The man retells this story to his parents and Albert finally confirms his suspicions.
The parents of the raped girl, Nathan and Bertha, arrive to David’s parents’ flat. They see agitated Albert, who is fully convinced that his wife betrayed him. A discovery of the rosary becomes the last evidence he needs. He is determined to kill the boy. As soon as he manages to escape his father’s wrath, David goes to the electrified rail. After an unfortunate accident, he receives an electric shock. The policeman brings his unconscious body home. For the first time in his life, Albert pities the boy. David feels strange; this is a feeling which could be called sleep.
