The Year My Parents Went on Vacation starts off as if it were going to be a new version of Home Alone, but it turns out that in this case, the child at the center of the movie is neither at home nor alone.

In 1970, as Brazil is under a military dictatorship, Mauro’s parents need to disappear. They take the twelve year old boy to the Jewish quarter in Sao Paulo and drop him at his grandfather’s apartment. His father promises to be back in time for the big World Cup tournament that all Brazil is looking forward to, expecting their team to win the cup. If asked, Mauro is supposed to tell people his parents are on vacation.

The first problem that comes up is that when Mauro goes to the grandfather’s apartment, there is no one there. It seems his grandfather has just died that day. Here Mauro is in a strange place with no family, no home, and no way to contact his parents.

A neighbor, Shlomo, takes pity on him and lets him stay the night. When Shlomo asks the rabbi what should be done, the rabbi calls up the story of Moses being rescued as a child. Shlomo and the community take Mauro in and care for him as he waits, even though he is gentile.

It’s not always easy. Shlomo isn’t used to having a child around. Mauro doesn’t understand Jewish customs. But before long Mauro has friends, with the help of a neighbor girl, Hanna, and is beginning to fit in.

As time goes on, though, the World Cup gets closer, and there is still no word from his parents. All of Brazil is excited about the tournament, especially Mauro. Not only does it represent national pride, it also is his hope for being reunited with his parents.

Brazil’s quest for the World Cup and the oppression of the dictatorship serve as opposing forces. All of Brazil is united in cheering for Brazil (even the Communists can’t help themselves when Brazil plays Communist Czechoslovakia). But the nation is divided politically. Mauro’s parents have to leave because the government will likely arrest them. Soccer is the joy in Mauro’s life. He plays in the street or a table game. He collects the cards of all the Brazilian team. But the dictatorship sucks all joy out of life. The World Cup should be his happiest time with his family, but because of the oppression, he is cut off from his exiled parents.

On one level this is a humorous coming of age story. Mauro is put in a situation in which the carefree life of a child vanishes and he has to begin finding new ways of getting by in the world. He meets new people who teach him new things. Hanna, for instance, charges the neighborhood boys for access to a peephole into the fitting room in her mother’s dress shop. He also sees in Sao Paulo a diverse community where the Jews and Italians play soccer against each other.

But Mauro is adrift. At times he sleeps alone in his grandfather’s empty apartment waiting for the phone to ring. In time Shlomo hooks a long cord to the phone and brings it to his apartment. Through it all, Mauro is cared for by a community in which he is a stranger.

Sometimes when we hear Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan, we may hear that as saying that Jews don’t take care of people. What a misunderstanding! The parable’s focus is about defining neighbor not by what we have in common, but simply by virtue of need. Throughout the film, Shlomo is available to take care of this child to whom he has no connection. Through that caring relationship, Shlomo and Mauro form a bond that provides enrichment to both of their lives. The Year My Parents Went on Vacation serves as a meditation on what it means to be in community and to be family—even if we aren’t related.