“David must go to the orphanage,” Grandfather said.

“The orphanage? What do you mean?” cried Miriam.

“We must send him to the orphanage,” Grandfather repeated in a miserable voice.

“Where he’ll be better taken care of,” said Grandmother.

“No! You can’t send him away!” Miriam jumped up from the bed and began to pace the narrow space between the table and the beds. “I don’t care if we’re the poorest Jews in the city!” she cried. “I don’t care if we’re the poorest people in the whole world! We need to stay together.”

Grandmother stopped unraveling the wool and crossed her arms. “We are just as unhappy about this as you are,” she said. “But we can no longer provide for the two of you.”

Miriam knew she was being rude, that she should respect her elders. But today she could not. Grownups were supposed to know what to do. They were supposed to take care of their children. They were supposed to give them food, clothing, an education. The grownups in her family couldn’t do any of those things!