Ruben is a secular history professor at Corbin University in Corbindale, New York, specializing in American colonial tax history. As the first Jewish faculty member at the school, he feels isolated and constantly worries about his assimilation into American society. He struggles with his cultural identity, feeling caught between his traditional upbringing and his desire to blend in completely with his suburban peers.

Ben-Zion is an Israeli historian and a prominent leader in the New Zionist Organization. Born in Poland and raised in Mandatory Palestine, he possesses an uncompromising pride in his Jewish heritage that contrasts sharply with the assimilated American characters he visits. He travels to New York for an academic interview, bringing his entire family along and imposing his own cultural expectations on his hosts.

Edith is Ruben's wife, a secular Jewish woman who manages their home as a typical 1950s American suburban housewife. Raised in a more assimilated household than her husband, she experiences far less anxiety about her cultural identity. She frequently finds herself bored by domestic life but remains devoted to maintaining a respectable, tidy environment for her family and guests.

Tzila is Ben-Zion's wife, a Palestinian-born Jewish woman who travels with her family to the United States. She provides a sharp cultural contrast to the American housewives of Corbindale by openly disregarding local expectations of politeness and household boundaries. She speaks Hebrew with her husband and children, prioritizing her family's practical needs over social niceties.

Judy is the teenage daughter of Ruben and Edith Blum, a high-achieving high school senior on track to become valedictorian. She feels disconnected from her Jewish heritage and desperately wishes to fully assimilate into mainstream American culture. She focuses intensely on obtaining cosmetic surgery to alter her nose, viewing it as an unwanted physical marker of her ethnicity.

Jonathan is the eldest son of Ben-Zion and Tzila Netanyahu. He possesses a strong, masculine bravado and behaves with a wildness that surprises his American hosts. He remains entirely unconcerned with the rules and expectations of the Blum household during his family's visit.

Benjamin is the middle child of the Netanyahu family. He looks up to his older brother Jonathan and frequently participates in the undisciplined behavior that characterizes the boys' stay in New York.

Iddo is the youngest son of Ben-Zion and Tzila Netanyahu. As a toddler, he is wild and rambunctious. He adds to the general sense of disorder that the family brings to the quiet, suburban environment of Corbindale.

Alter is Ruben's father, an orthodox, working-class Jewish man who harbors a deep distrust of mainstream American society. He believes strongly that Jewish people can rely only on their own community. This worldview frequently brings him into conflict with his highly educated, assimilated granddaughter.

Henya is Ruben's mother, who accompanies her husband Alter on visits to Corbindale. She comes from a more traditional, working-class background than her son's current suburban lifestyle.

Sabine is Edith's mother, a secular, upper-class woman whose primary focus is consumerism and social standing. She is highly critical of her son-in-law's academic career and his choice to live in a rural college town.

Walt is Edith's father, a secular merchant-class man from New York City. He supports his daughter's family but remains aligned with his wife's metropolitan sensibilities when visiting their rural home.

Dr. Morse is the head of the history department at Corbin University. He assigns Ruben to the hiring committee under the assumption that Ruben is best suited to evaluate another Jewish candidate.

Chaim Edelman is the president of Dropsie College in Philadelphia. He acts as an advocate for Ben-Zion, providing him with academic recommendations and lending him a vehicle for his travels.

Peretz Levavi is an academic at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He writes a highly critical letter of discommendation to Ruben, warning him about Ben-Zion's revisionist politics and confrontational personality.

Dr. Huggles is a theology professor at the local seminary in Corbindale. He attempts to test Ben-Zion's biblical knowledge but falls into an academic trap regarding his language skills.

Dr. Hillard is a faculty member on the Corbin University hiring committee who views history primarily as a tool for upholding current political systems. He questions Ben-Zion closely regarding his political leanings.