Six short stories involving six Jewish families living in the same tenement building in Jewish Harlem. Set in November and December of 1917, these intertwining stories of young love, the poor and the wealthy, and going off to war all merge into the theme of the American Dream.

SYNOPSIS:

Through the eyes of 14 year-old ANIA BERK in the first story, "The Girl Next Door," we are introduced to all of the characters. We learn of her 13 year-old neighbor VICTOR DOLBERG'S infatuation with her, and how he's studying for his Haftorah reading.

"The Enemy Within" is about DIMITRI DOLBERG'S comic struggle to turn away his lustful wife, IRINA. Victor, their son, must learn the Haftorah to read at the synagogue on the Sabbath. Through Victor's courtship of Ania, Dimitri learns to lighten up.

"The Price," about the LICHT family, shows the working class struggle of these immigrants, and the anti-semitism they face. RIVKA is unhappy with her husband GRISHA because of his refusal to accept a promotion at work, since it means taking advantage of fellow Jews. Underwater on rent, the family faces eviction. Through some events of fate, Grisha finds a better job, and the family moves back into their apartment.

While there's a certain anti-war undercurrent in the first three stories, it's very apparent in "Hourglass," about the KLEINS, the wealthiest family in the building. STEVEN, a carpenter, doesn't flaunt his success, which is why the family hasn't moved to a better area. Tension and fear abounds though, particularly with Steven's wife TERESA. Their son GABE is about to leave for WWI. Gabe asks JANA BARTON to marry him before he leaves for the European front. Their love is strong, but Jana turns Gabe down, for fear of losing him at war. With Gabe leaving in the morning, Jana's wise-beyond-his-years younger brother ANDY intervenes, and manages to convince Gabe and Jana to commit to one another, despite the risks.

"A Corner in Wheat," about the Bartons, comes to terms with ruthless businessmen. Neither CEILIE nor WILL speak much English, but they make enough to get by. Jana is their daughter; Andy, their son. Andy and MR. SPRING, the building's landlord, have a friendly relationship, always discussing movies. Through the kindness of ORENSTEIN, owner of Orenstein's Theater, Andy gets a job at the local movie theater and shows himself to be a very hard worker. When the Lichts are evicted for falling $1 short, Andy shows Spring what kind of man he really is. With Orenstein's blessing, Andy invites Spring to the theater where they watch the short film A Corner in Wheat, about a wealthy businessman who exploits all to make a buck. ORENSTEIN throws Spring out of his theater and bars him from ever coming back.

The final story, "The American Dream," is about the Graus. ELISABETH and JOE have triplets. Joe works in a garment sweatshop. Elisabeth is a budding playright with three plays already written, and a fourth in the works. Her current play, 'Harlem, 1917,' is a work-in-progress about their lives, and the lives of the other families in their building. Because of the prevailing prejudice against women, Joe acts as a front. Wealthy theater owner GILDEN buys two plays. Although the ruse fails, Gilden accepts Elisabeth and hires her to do more work. This allows the Graus to upgrade to a much better apartment, in a terrific neighborhood.

HARLEM, 1917