Jaffa - from the promenade to the promenade

Old Jaffa is shrouded in many different legends and legends. For example, there is a legend that in place of Jaffa created his ark Noah. In the myths of the ancient Greeks it was said that Andromeda was chained to a rock somewhere near the Jaffa port - it was here that the hero Perseus saved the beauty. From ancient Jaffa, the biblical prophet Jonah set off on his journey. Lebanese cedar was brought to Jaffa for the construction of the First Jerusalem Temple. In old Jaffa, the apostle Peter resurrected the righteous Tabitha. The significance of Jaffa in the ancient era and in the Middle Ages was very great - precious incense and spices were transported from the south of the Arabian Peninsula to the ancient Jaffa port; then the cargo was transferred to the ships and brought to the West, to Europe. Translated with Google Translate

From the XV to the XIII century BC e. the Mediterranean coast of modern Israel was under the control of the Egyptians. During the time of King David, the city of Jaffa became part of the Jewish kingdom. When the Middle East entered the empire of Alexander the Great, Jaffa also became part of the new Hellenistic world. The Roman commander Pompey gave freedom to the city of Jaffa (66 BC). In 47 BC e. Julius Caesar transferred the city to the kingdom of Judea. Mark Anthony gave the ancient Jaffa to Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, but the Emperor Octavian returned the city to the Jewish king Herod the Great. Under the Byzantines, the city retains its role as a center for Middle Eastern trade and a transit port. In 636, Jaffa was conquered by the Arabs. At the end of the 11th century, the turbulent times of the Crusades began. The Crusaders took the city, many Jews and Muslims were destroyed, the rest were expelled. Jaffa as a city of crusaders lasted almost a hundred years - in 1196 it was conquered by the army of Al-Malik al-Adil (brother of the famous Saladin). In 1260, the Mongols attacked the city. Eight years later, the sultan of the Mamelukes Beybars completely destroyed both the city and its population. Only during the period of Turkish rule (in the first half of the XVII century) the city is reborn again. The flow of Christian and Jewish pilgrims is growing. In the era of the Napoleonic Wars, the city of Jaffa was occupied by French troops. During World War I, the city passed into the hands of the British Army. Translated with Google Translate

Britain controls Jaffa until the creation of the independent state of Israel in May 1948. Despite the historic hurricanes that often swept over the Mediterranean coast of Eretz Yisrael, old Jaffa managed to maintain its unique flavor. The oldest Jaffa port operates today; Arab and Jewish fishing longboats still come here with a catch. There are fish shops and restaurants in the port area. Now Jaffa is part of northern Tel Aviv, but it still continues to amaze with its beauty. The port, narrow stone streets, a huge variety of attractions: the Jaffa Antiquities Museum, the Underground Archaeological Museum on Kdumim Square, the Jaffa History Museum, the Frank Meisler Sculpture Salon, the Farkash Gallery - a collection of historical Israeli posters, the Clock Tower, the remains of the fortress wall of the Ottoman rule, “The Column faith ”on the French site. Translated with Google Translate

Studio workshop Adina Plastelina was created in 2003 by designers Adi and Sam Leder. This brand known today specializes in creating silver and gilded products, which are based on a polymer clay mosaic. Designers use the ancient Milefiori technique. This word comes from the Italian language and means "thousand flowers". The combination of precious metals with ancient technique and polymer clay creates a special style. A variety of colors and paints, a motley palette and children's spontaneity, adolescent avant-garde and unique technique are the main motives of the studio. Translated with Google Translate

The streets of the city are named after the zodiac signs. This is because the artists who first settled in the slums of old Jaffa, and then saved this part of the city from demolition, decided to name the streets of their city only by the names of the zodiac signs. There is a tradition according to which, being on the street of your sign, you can make a wish, and it will come true. There is a street of all signs, everyone can make wishes there. This is just the street of all signs. Translated with Google Translate

The Old Jaffa Visitor Center is located on the square in the city center. In fact, it is an archaeological museum. Visitors can see here archaeological finds of a thousand years ago, expositions dedicated to the long history of Jaffa, art paintings and works of art, and much more. A film is shown here, which tells about the history of the origin and development of the city for 5000 years. In addition to permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, lectures and seminars are held here. Excavations are ongoing today, the museum's collection is replenished with new finds and unique antiquities. Translated with Google Translate

On the central square of the city there is a fountain of zodiac signs. It was created by artists and sculptors - residents of Jaffa. And over the square rises the bell tower of the church of St. Petra. It is built on the foundations of the destroyed church of the Byzantine period and the remnants of the structures of the time of the Crusaders. The Byzantine church was destroyed during the invasion of the Persians in 614 AD, and was partially restored at the end of the Byzantine period in the Holy Land. The German king Frederick II - the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire built a large fortress on the ruins of the Byzantine church, which was destroyed by Muslims and rebuilt during the Seventh Crusade by the French king Louis (Louis) the Ninth. This fortress, church and monastery were destroyed in 1264 A.D. Mamelukes, however, one of the semicircular towers was preserved and was used in the construction of a modern church by Franciscan monks in 1654. Franciscans built not only a church, but also a large inn, which was used by almost all European pilgrims to the Holy Land in the 17th and 18th centuries. Napoleon and his numerous scientific expedition to the Holy Land, was located in this inn in 1799. After Napoleon’s campaign, the church and the inn were destroyed several times and rebuilt, until from 1888 to 1894 a modern Baroque building was built with the support and donations of the Spanish Royal Court. In 1903, the complex of buildings was expanded and the church was the cathedral of the Catholic community of Jaffa before the construction of the St. Anthony in 1932. Translated with Google Translate

Jaffa Bridge in Jaffa is another attraction of the Old Town. Being the oldest port city in the world, Jaffa has concentrated many interesting and curious places. Of particular importance is given to the signs of the zodiac. They named many streets of the city, they are found in the form of mosaics and symbols on the houses. In the center of Jaffa, a small bridge is built across the moat, on which there are also symbols of the 12 zodiac signs. Touching your own, you should make a wish, and it will come true. This place is shrouded in secrets and mysteries, like the whole city of Jaffa. Couples in love love to come here. Not far from the bridge is a hanging tree, and just south of the Gate of Ramses the Second. Translated with Google Translate

In 1936, under the growing discontent and protest over Jewish immigration to British Palestine, the Jaffa Arabs carried out a Jewish pogrom. The same year is considered the beginning of the great Arab rebellion against the British, which lasted until 1939. The British destroyed most of Jaffa, which today forms the tourist part of the city. This operation was called "Anchor" - in the form of a general outline of the streets along which explosive work took place. Up to the end of the 50s this part of the city was in ruins and only in the 60s a modern park was laid out here. He bears the name of Abraham Shekhterman - a great enthusiast and inspirer of the project for the restoration and reconstruction of this part of the city. Translated with Google Translate

In the early 60s of the 20th century, when a decision was made on the general development of the ancient Jaffa region, which at that time turned into a region of slums and dilapidated houses, excavations were carried out in parallel with the process of preparation for restoration and renovation. One of the four excavation areas on the slope of the central hill of the city was not casual. Ancient cities have always been built on an elevated place near important trade routes and near water sources. All these conditions were present in ancient Jaffa, and only after about 15 centuries, after the beginning of its history, the city "went down" to the sea, when the importance and need for maritime trade appeared. Therefore, excavations at the top of the slope could reveal a more ancient history of the city. It is about this story - the middle and end of the second millennium BC and testify to the discovered city gates of the time of Pharaoh Ramses the Second. This is one of the legendary Egyptian pharaohs. During the reign of Ramses the Second, the first peace treaty in the history of mankind was concluded. It was an agreement with the Khet kingdom. During the reign of Ramses the Second, the construction of the famous temples in Luxor began, and the coastal territory of Canaan (the modern coast of Israel) turned into the most important trading cities, among which the ancient Jaffa. Translated with Google Translate

This is one of many stories associated with this interesting monument, or work of art. This story does not claim the right to be the only, and even more so, not the ultimate truth. One day, a hanging tree appeared in ancient Jaffa. Many began to think and wonder what it would mean, because these artists sometimes wander into the head, which you can’t even make out. They said that this was a symbol of freedom, they also told the children from school trips that the first settlers literally grew oranges on stones, and there were those who said that it was just that the house plant grew so much that it was necessary to plant it on the street in a tub suspended between houses. Much later they began to say that this hanging tree is a symbol of the long and difficult relationship of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. One of the residents of the artists' quarter decided to plant a fruit tree - an orange. Municipal authorities suddenly remembered the Turkish right to tax fruit trees. The freedom of artists and the desire to live calmly and freely, often enough in Jaffa found, not that, misunderstanding, but rather, attempts to put everything within their framework, from the side of the city bureaucracy. How to go beyond? It is very simple - to plant a tree not on the land of the municipality, but ... in the air. Translated with Google Translate

Frank Meisler was born in Danzig, was educated in England and lived in this ancient house in the artists quarter in Jaffa. His miniature sculpture is known all over the world for its distinctive vision of space and plane, the preservation of a realistic perception of the world and the unpredictable humor that is present in the author's works. Frank Meisler brought world fame to the work, with a smile, called the Globe of Jerusalem. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher accepted this work as a gift. Permanent exhibitions of the artist’s works are in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Moscow and Kiev. His works are exhibited in Los Angles, Miami, London, Berlin, Moscow, Kiev and Gdansk. Frank Meisler is also known for his public compositions in London, Berlin and Gdansk. Frank Mesler has been awarded many international prizes and is always loved by the public for his ease, smile and philosophy of his work. Nearby is a pleasant shop selling pomegranate wine. Translated with Google Translate

Oded Halahmi was born in Iraq in 1938. At the age of 13, the Oded family repatriated to Israel and faced the plight of returnees. The beginning of the fifties in the history of Israel was connected with the world’s isolation of the young country, the difficult economic situation and the efforts of the government to solve a number of the most difficult problems: maintaining security, accepting about a million Jewish refugees from Arab countries, building the economy and getting out of political and economic isolation. Under these conditions, young talents often did not find application, and culture and art were a luxury that only a few could afford. When Oded was 28, he entered St. Martin’s School of Art, London, and after completing his studies settled in Toronto, and then in New York. Oded was world famous for his plastic work of a female figure. Main material. Oded works with - copper. Today, the life of the sculptor takes place in New York and in Jaffa. Oded has created a global fund to support young talents and art development. Translated with Google Translate

The HaSimta Theater (Lane) is one of the first small tetars in Israel, created in the early 80s of the 20th century. The goal of creating this theater is to enable artists and directors to create "non-standard" productions, in the theater - studios designed for a narrow circle of sophisticated theater-goers. Most of the productions are not subsidized by state or public foundations and organizations. Rehearsals take place in the theater in the morning, and small performances in the evening. Teatar is often used for chamber exhibitions and musical performances. The HaSimta Theater is known for its chamber jazz performances. The theater has a small bar and cafeteria. Translated with Google Translate

Yemenite Jewry is one of the ancient and distinctive communities of the great Jewish world. Here, in one of the houses of old Jaffa, there is a design workshop and an exhibition center - the Ben Zion family store - an 8th-century jeweler, a follower of the traditions of Yemeni wedding jewelry. David ben Zion - Benzi, at the age of ten, began to help his father in the workshop, prepare and remelt silver threads. According to an ancient tradition in Yemen, the person who ordered the silver jewelry gave 5 pieces of gold to the jeweler. Three went to buy stones and melted to frame, and the other two coins were a reward to the jeweler. Bentsion prepares silver threads by hand, weaving them to achieve a special and unique weaving that characterizes the Yemeni wedding tradition, because the most special was the decoration of the bride. These traditions combine casting and handwork. Bentsion creates Jewish objects, decorates the Torah scrolls and produces modern jewelry. His work is inspired by the traditional Yemeni design of wedding jewelry. Ben Zion did not always design jewelry. After his military service, he studied electrical engineering in the United States for five years. Returning to Israel, he was supposed to start working as an electrical engineer in a large state-owned firm. Awaiting seven-month security clearance for the company, he began to create his Jewish projects and sold them to collectors in the United States. By the time confirmation came from the security clothe, he was already immersed in his art. Translated with Google Translate

The Ilana Gur Museum is housed in an old 16th-century house that provided overnight accommodation for Jewish pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. For almost 40 years, Ilana Gur has been living in this house and turns it into a museum, which rather displays not certain objects of design or art, but shows design and art as a lifestyle. The combination of simple and complex, rustic and urban, ancient and modern is Ilana's style, which brought her world fame and fame. The design of furniture, chandeliers, interiors, decorations - all together creates a house - the museum of Ilana Gur, a house in understanding the space for housing and a house in understanding the space for creativity and creation. The house has stylized rooms, such as: a table room for Greek monks, a room for an African collection, and others. Parties and private parties are held on an open vast terrace. Translated with Google Translate

The Libyan synagogue was most likely the first Jewish synagogue built in Jaffa in the modern era. The synagogue was first mentioned at the end of the first half of the 18th century, and it is said that the building was bought or built by Rabbi Jacob Ben David Zunana for the “Committee of Israeli Officials and Lords in Istanbul” to serve as a khan (inn), with a synagogue and mikveh ( a ritual bath for ablutions) for Jewish pilgrims who arrived in Palestine through the harbor of Jaffa and mainly went to Jerusalem and other holy cities. At the end of the 18th century, the position of the Jewish community in the Holy Land worsened greatly. The reason for this was the impoverishment of the Turkish province (Sanjuka Jaffa) as a result of general economic and social desolation. The Jewish community began to need the help of developing and strengthening European communities, but, as European assistance came mainly to Jerusalem, the Jaffa Jews began to leave the city and move to Jerusalem. Jewish property in Jaffa remained unowned, and local Arabs gradually occupied the premises, allowing the significantly reduced stream of Jewish pilgrims to use it for only three days during the year - on Jewish holidays. During the conquests and destruction that Jaffa suffered in the 18th and 19th centuries (Napoleonic Wars), the Jewish community in Jaffa disappeared along with the traces of the Jewish Khan. In 1948, the first Libyan immigrants arrived in Israel and began to settle in Old Jaffa, which was partially abandoned by Arab residents. They made this place their synagogue after they received the keys to the doors of the building from the hands of a Franciscan priest who served in the nearby Abbey of St. Peter. He told them that many years ago this house served as a synagogue for the Jewish community of Jaffa. Translated with Google Translate

Ceramics Irit Goldberg embodies the whole design world of the artist, and at the same time, each product is perceived as a separate object, filled with its unique nuance. Her products are often asymmetrical, decorated with floral or wave patterns, perforated. They create the illusion that they are as if wrinkled, wrinkled and weightless, as if we were looking at them through a veil of a stream of water. In fact, despite its lightness and airiness, the products are strong, durable and designed for frequent and everyday use. Brushstrokes of gold, silver and other small spots sparkle and sparkle, and each plate, bowl and cup is a delicate, jewel-like work that carries all the elements of a special author's style with nothing and no one else's in style. These characters of the works of Irit connect them with the surrounding views and landscapes of the Old City of Jaffa, where the gallery is located. Pottery Goldberg carries a variety of stories from the symbols of Judaica, European, English and ancient Greek culture. They are comparable to ancient objects from the collections of art in Western and Central Europe. A small gallery near the old port of Jaffa creates a special atmosphere where you can find real treasures. Translated with Google Translate

Here at the foot of the lighthouse stands an ancient house in which, according to legend, Simon the tanner lived. It was in his house that the apostle Peter spent the night before setting off from the Holy Land to the city of Rome, converting the Roman Cornelius and his household to Christianity on the way to Caesarea. Prior to these events, Peter resurrected Tabitha on the eve of Jaffa, the path to which he kept from the east from Jerusalem. And Peter saw a vision on the roof of the tanner's house, according to which a savannah descended from heaven in which there were different bastards and Peter cried out: Lord, is that really what you want to feed me ?! And he heard the answer: "What God has cleansed, you do not consider it unclean. It was thrice; and the vessel rose again to heaven." Vision ap. Peter, (Acts 10.15). All these events and their sequence matter. Peter is the heir to Jesus, and just as a teacher comes to Jerusalem from the east, resurrecting Lazarus - so Peter comes to Jaffa to resurrect Tabitha. Just as Jesus comes to the Jews in Jerusalem, so does the Peter through the Jaffa and Caesarea to the Romans. And in Rome, Peter was crucified, like Jesus in Jerusalem. And if Jesus goes to the Jews, then his disciples go to the Romans - creating the Christian faith. And this very vision of various bastards is of particular importance. Jesus comes to the Jews, the people of God. And Peter goes to the Gentiles. But, the words that God has cleansed, you do not consider unclean - just liberate Peter. From now on, the Christian faith goes to the Gentiles. Translated with Google Translate

Jaffa port has always been appreciated due to its location. Here the trade sea route passed, pilgrims arrived here in Jerusalem, British and French troops were based here, food and help were delivered to Jewish communities in the Holy Land. The symbolic rose of distances (by analogy with the rose of winds) is depicted on the plates of the port embankment. It indicates the direction and mileage to the famous cities of the world. Sometimes, surprise encompasses, and an involuntary smile visits the mouth of how close, in fact, everything is close. Translated with Google Translate