Miriam and her little brother, David, are poor. They don’t have much, but they have their grandparents who love them.

Miriam is upset when she has to leave school to work in a butcher shop. But something even worse happens when, because their grandparents can no longer afford to take care of them, David is sent to live at the Jewish orphanage. Miriam and David don’t understand. How can you be an orphan when you still have a family?

Miriam wants to rescue David and bring him home. But how? Does Mr. Reznitsky, the orphanage director, care about the children, or is he using them? Miriam is determined to make a plan. She will think of it like a game of checkers, and this time the prize will be her brother.