A tale of growing up in the dysfunctional household of a womanising rabbi, his long-suffering wife, and their Catholic maid.
Deborah Steinberg is four when pregnant Peggy becomes their maid. Her father, Rabbi Wilfred has a penchant for other women, and his wife is terrified of the shame.
Growing up, Deborah’s brother Jake worries he might be gay, so his siblings pay for him to go to Amsterdam to lose his virginity.
When Daniel the eldest takes a gap year, Deborah decides between her unsuitable, Christian boyfriend and wealthy Gordon.
In Swaziland Daniel marries Mdinga, then brings her home. A horrified Wilfred pays her passage back.
Gordon is taken ill at their house. Whilst recuperating, he proposes to Deborah who is desperate to leave home, so accepts.
In debt after borrowing money for Mdinga’s ticket, Wilfred struggles to pay for the engagement. However, he insists on sending Daniel to Israel.
Working on a kibbutz, Daniel accidentally shoots himself, but fabricates a story that an Arab shot him. In hospital, he meets Miriam a nurse, and returns with her in tow.
Deborah breaks her engagement, and Gordon is so angry that he poaches Peggy away. The bank pressure Wilfred, and a kosher butcher cites him in a divorce petition
Eventually, Deborah marries Ben, Wilfred has a coronary, and Peggy returns.