The arrival in Palestine, towards the end of the 19th century, of a group of young immigrants from Russian Empire.

This somber drama chronicles the writings of Paltiel Kossover (Michel Jonasz), a Rumanian Jew who was incarcerated in a Stalinist prison. Zupanev (Erland Josephson) is a sympathetic court registrar who smuggles the documents and later presents them to the poet's son Grisha (Vincent David).

Jacquo, a shady owner of a Las Vegas nightclub in Lower Haifa, also runs a brothel and gambling den. His business thrives with an entourage of women, but his heart belongs to Galia, his business partner and top call girl. One night, Galia is severely injured in a fight with another worker. Her middle-class sister Yael rushes to her side, adding to the drama.

Russia, 1905. Tuvia is the only Jew living in the village of Antevka. He is very poor but things change when, as a token of gratitude for a service rendered, he is given a cow and some food. Now, his wife, his seven daughters and himself have access to a better life. Tuvia sells his milk and his butter. Moreover, he is now able to give his daughters a dowry and marry them. But you can't buy happiness...

Uri, the first son of a "kibbutz", comes home from 2 years of studying. He finds his father has joined the British army, and his mother is with another man. He meets Mika - a new immigrant from Poland - and quickly falls in love with her. He is then torn between his commitment to his home family and girl, and between the "Palmakh".