During the family gathering for Succoth, a Jewish thanksgiving ceremony, free-spirited Aunt Sylvia, who follows the ""beat"" movement, announces that she is getting a divorce from her husband. Sophie is horrified when Sylvia says she is stifling in the marriage and desperately tries to talk her out of her decision.

Nathaniel is upset when Jules and Sophie's cousin Myron, once partners in the hatmaking business, have a falling out at the weekly Friday night poker game and stop speaking to each other. In the meantime, Uncle Joel is helping George and Phyllis get through an income tax audit.