After a Jewish girl, Naomi (Vanessa Zaoui), watches Nazis kill her father, she goes into a catatonic state. Her remaining family moves to a Brooklyn apartment just above the Silverman family, where Naomi refuses to speak to anyone. Young Alan Silverman (Lukas Haas), after being encouraged by his father (Michael Gross) and mother (Amy Aquino), reaches out to the girl. He initially feels as if he's making things worse, but Alan doesn't give up, and his loyalty wins him a lifelong friend.