Laila is a well-educated Jewish girl who falls in love with Ali, a Muslim officer fighting on the front. However, an obstacle stands in the way of their relationship, and it isn't religion; it is Ebtehal El-Assal, the daughter of a thug.
When he learns that his daughter intends to use nitric acid to disfigure Laila's face, Fathy El-Assal replaces the acid with water to keep his name clean. Laila meets Ali at the train station and they return home together, which infuriates Ebtehal.
Moussa lies to his family and says that he's traveling to Alexandria, but his sister Laila reveals that he is going to Palestine to help the Israeli forces. Simultaneously, Ali returns to the battlefield and sees signs of impending defeat.
When Ali is captured after the defeat, the lack of information worries Laila. She pulls out all the stops to get in touch with him, and she learns about his injury and his captivity.
When the neighborhood falls victim to unprecedented bombings, everyone is a suspect. Moussa returns from his journey, and is welcomed by everyone except for two members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Ebtehal is kidnapped, which disturbs the entire neighborhood.
Fathy El-Assal is incessantly searching for his daughter whom he learns is kidnapped by the owner of a pleasure house. Ali tries to escape, but he is recaptured. Despite the treaty between the two fighting sides, all the prisoners return except for Ali. Laila is miserable.
As Laila begins to recover, she witnesses a man throwing a Molotov bomb at her father's store. Ali's name is erased from all records, and he starts to lose all hope of returning home until a Bedouin decides to help him.
The neighborhood comes together to try and put out the fire that is eating Haroun's store. They offer financial help after the tragic incident, but he refuses. Trying to save her father from bankruptcy, Laila agrees to marry the wealthy Safwat.
With the preparations for Laila's wedding underway, her father is given a large dowry which he uses to rebuild his shop. Meanwhile, Ali manages to cross the borders and comes back to the neighborhood on the day of Laila's wedding.
Surprised by Ali's return, Laila leaves her groom at the last minute. She arranges to meet Ali to pledge her love but Ali vehemently refuses to talk to her. Ebtehal is trying to achieve her aspirations to become a dancer.
Brokenhearted and devastated, Ali starts drinking and visiting bars. When she learns about his break-up with Laila, Ebtehal tries to get close to him, but he only perceives her as a neighbor. She runs away to start off her career as a bar dancer in the hope of future success.
When Fathy El-Assal is released, the first thing he does is look for his daughter Ebtehal. Overcome with grief, Laila seeks comfort in the Synagogue's holy well. Nattat is surprised to find that the dancer of the bar he frequents is actually Ebtehal El-Assal.
When she finds out that Ali is seeing another woman, Laila's jealousy leads her to burn all his letters and photographs. She even informs her brother that she is willing to go to Israel with him.
While Laila is getting ready to depart, Ali returns to his senses. He stops drinking and decides to join the Free Officers movement. With his passion for life and love restored, he goes to see Laila, but she has already left the country.
In Israel, Laila tries to adopt the radical ideas of people around her, but at heart, she's against them. Marcel tries to woo Ali, but he gives her the cold shoulder. As revenge, she informs the authorities that he is one of the Free Officers.
After the arrest of members of the People's Resistance, including Zeinat, Estiphanos, Hanafy, and Sardina, they are tortured mercilessly. Fathy El-Assal relives some people from taxes. Laila meets a Jewish guy that initially seems approachable, but she soon disagrees with his radical ideas.
The neighborhood struggles to return to normal. Ebtehal is now a rising star, and she meets a journalist that falls for her. Levi takes a bullet meant for Laila, saving her life.
When they are out on a walk, a Palestinian kid shoots Levi. Laila shoots the kid in the leg and flees in horror. The neighborhood starts to treat Haroun differently when they learn that his children went to Palestine.
As Laila shares in the joy of a traditional Palestinian wedding, Levi gets Moussa's sweetheart to shoot the groom, turning the wedding into a funeral.
When Laila discovers that Levi is behind what happened at the wedding, she furiously demands to return to Egypt. But Levi sends her to a detention center where she is treated as an Egyptian spy and harshly tortured.
After Laila's innocence is proven, she is released and thrown on the Egyptian borders with her hair cut off. Ali resumes his fight for freedom, but some of the neighborhood's people have grown accustomed to their chains.
Laila returns to Egypt where Ali vows to take good care of her so that her family doesn't see her in a bad condition. The spark of love between them is reignited as Laila returns to the neighborhood, and Ali insists on marrying her.
As their families oppose their union, Ali and Laila do their best to change their families' minds, or hearts for that matter.
The Egyptian revolution heralded by the Free Officers movement is now a success. Political prisoners are freed, and the whole country rejoices.
After her return, Zeinat tries to restore what has been taken from her. She marries Fathy Al-Assal and takes her revenge on the prostitute Zahra.
Nattat chases after Ebtehal across all nightclubs. Ali discusses his and Laila's nuptials with Haroun, but Haroun tells him things are not as easy as he thinks. Ali and Laila decide to start planning for their wedding themselves.
Zeinat stays at Fathy El-Assal's place after killing Zahra. When Ebtehal is kicked out of her place, she decides to go back to her father's house. When he learns that his daughter is coming, Fathy takes Zeinat and leave the house.
When Ali and Laila's wedding is approved, they believe that nothing can stand in the way of their union. However, one of Ali's friends shares some information that could forestall their wedding.
As Moussa's affiliation with the Israeli army is found out, Ali and Laila's wedding is halted. After many arduous investigations, Laila reflects on how life in Egypt has become nearly impossible for Jewish people. She bids Ali goodbye as her family prepares to leave for France.
Haroun dies, and Laila decides to travel alone. She doesn't inform Ali of her decision. One day when he is away, she leaves him a letter telling him that he is the only person she ever loved. When he comes back, he finds the letter, but not Laila.