The world of Hanna Mendelssohn, an 80 year old widow, disintegrates as the Kibbutz which she helped to found undergoes privatization.
Hannas life changes when privatization of the kibbutz, forces her into retirement from her work, gardening in the kibbutz. Overnight, she turns from a hardworking productive member of society into a burden, living on a meager allowance, paid by the taxes of other Kibbutz members. Hanna struggles to maintain her usefulness, which is her only protection from deteriorating into old age and dependence, from being "worthless". She tries to find an alternative job, but in the changing structure of the Kibbutz she is not needed any more.Hannah who still believes strongly in the values of social equality and cooperation strives to preserve life in the Kibbutz as it was, but her efforts are rejected by her community. She finds temporary refuge in the Kibbutz Archive, but not for long. Due to the building's bad condition, the Archive is closed and Hanna's last hope is dashed. When it seems that everything Hannah ever believed in has died, she realizes that friendship still exists in the Kibbutz and though things will never be the same, something new can flourish.
