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Crumbs From the Table of Joy Summary Seventeen-year-old Ernestine Crumb addresses the audience and explains that grief laid her family flat. When her mother died, her father, Godfrey, was unable to do anything but mourn his wife—until he discovered the teachings of Father Divine, the leader of the Peace Mission Movement. Wanting to be closer to Father Divine (who claims he’s God), Godfrey moved his daughters—Ernestine and her sister, Ermina—to Brooklyn, only to discover that Father Divine had relocated to Philadelphia. Now the Crumbs live in a small apartment in a mostly Jewish neighborhood, where Godfrey works in a bakery. Godfrey keeps a protective watch over Ernestine and Ermina (who’s 15), especially trying to impress on them the importance of celibacy, which is one of Father Divine’s most important teachings. He also doesn’t let them listen to the radio on Sunday. On other days, the sisters go to the movies, which helps them grieve the loss of their mother, since they feel like they can openly cry in the theaters while watching dramatic storylines unfold before them. Other than going to the movies, Ernestine doesn’t do much, instead focusing on her studies. Ermina, on the other hand, is eager to spend time with boys her own age, but she rarely has the chance to do so.