It’s 1919, and Herschel Greenbaum is an Eastern European ditch-digger who perpetually sees the pickle jar half-full. Sure, his parents were murdered by antisemitic Cossacks and he can’t finish a job without breaking one of his flimsy shovels, but as far as life in “Schlupsk” goes, Herschel has it pretty good. Just when he thinks life can’t get any better, Herschel spots an angelic Sarah at the market, and before long, the lovebirds are happily married – until Cossacks descend on their wedding ceremony and destroy their entire world.

After a few hours of mourning, Herschel and Sarah pick up and sail off to Brooklyn, New York, where Herschel finds a job at a pickle factory and works overtime to ensure a successful future for his growing family. As he and Sarah gleefuly prepare for the birth of their first child, some things remain out of reach, but as far as they’re concerned, they’ve made it, and nothing can derail their pursuit of the “American dream.” Except, maybe, Herschel falling into a giant pickle vat at work and getting stuck inside for 100 years.

When he emerges from the brine, it’s present-day, the world looks very different, and Herschel’s crushed. Everyone and everything he once knew are long gone, and all hope seems lost until he’s connected with his great-grandson Ben, a freelance app developer who invites him to crash at his impressive one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment. Things start off great, but an unfortunate chain of events soon leaves Ben out of a job and furious with his great-grandpa. While Herschel builds his very own pickle business, Ben’s life begins to fall apart, and he becomes obsessed with taking Herschel down with him. As the only two living Greenbaums feud, each of them begins to rethink the true meaning of family, forgiveness, and faith – and the value of a really good pickle.