Traveling Israel: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Judaean Desert

Contents

Tour of Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Introduction

1. Gan HaPisga (Summit Garden)

2. Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Ramses II’s Gate Garden

3. Suspended Orange Tree

4. Kedumim Square and St. Peter’s Church

5. Jaffa Port

6. Saint Nicholas Monastery

7. Eichmann’s Prison Cell

8. The Jaffa Clock Tower

9. Flea Market

10. Raziel Street

11. The American Colony

12. Neve Tzedek

13. Herzl Street

14. Meir Dizengoff House / Independence Hall (16 Rothschild Boulevard)

Additional sights in Tel Aviv

15. Rabin Square

16. Sarona

Tour of Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Introduction

What stands out most about Tel Aviv is that it’s not Jerusalem. You won’t find two cities anywhere that are so close – only about 60 kilometers (37 miles) apart – yet so different from one another. Jerusalem was built thousands of years ago on the rocky terrain of hilltops; Tel Aviv just a century ago on sandy dunes along the beach. Jerusalem is one of Israel’s poorest cities; Tel Aviv one of its richest. Jerusalem is Israel’s political and religious center; Tel Aviv its economic and commercial hub. And the differences continue: Jerusalem has extreme religious elements, while Tel Aviv was voted one of the best gay cities by the LGBT community. Jerusalem is a city of the past, while Tel Aviv lives in the present. But Tel Aviv isn’t just the antithesis of Jerusalem. It’s also a city that can stand on its own and boasts a large variety of sights, such as the Old City of Jaffa, magnificent Bauhaus architecture, first-rate museums, and colorful open-air markets.

My name is Oren Cahanovitc, and as a traveler and a tour guide, I have planned this itinerary to include a taste of everything that Tel Aviv has to offer. And if you get a bit tired along the way, don’t forget that the beach is always nearby.

The view from the Summit Garden.

1. Gan HaPisga (Summit Garden)

Directions: There are no buses that will take you directly to Gan HaPisga. The Jaffa Clock Tower is five minutes away and the bus station on Jerusalem Boulevard (page 19) is ten minutes by foot.

Perched atop Old Jaffa’s archaeological mound, the Summit Garden gives you an impressive panoramic view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. While enjoying the view, you will realize why the city was established at precisely this spot. A city doesn’t usually spring up for no reason at all; certain conditions are necessary for a group of people to settle at a particular site. In the ancient Land of Israel, four essential conditions had to be met: access to water, a defensible position, farmable land, and proximity to a strategic route. In Jaffa, one of world’s oldest cities, all of these conditions were present. There were aquifers, a hill that was easily defensible and a coastal area with fertile land. Another advantage was the nearby coastal roadway, one of the most important transportation routes in ancient Israel, which ran from Egypt to Babylon and passed along the coast. By virtue of these conditions, Jaffa was one the first settlements in the Middle East. Over the past three thousand years, Jaffa’s main asset, which has helped turn it into an important city, has been its proximity to Jerusalem. Since Jerusalem is surrounded by hills, Jaffa became its port. The close relationship between the two cities was already recognized during biblical times: And we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them as rafts by sea down to Joppa [Jaffa]. You can then take them up to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 2:16).

In the middle of the plaza stands the Statue of Faith, a sculpture in the shape of a gate. Israel lies at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Since geography has greatly influenced the history of humankind, Israel has served as both a gate and a bridge between different nations and cultures. Here, the early Middle Eastern peoples encountered and battled one another – the Egyptians against the Mesopotamians (who inhabited the region that is today Iraq, Iran, and Syria). And later, the Mediterranean cultures – the Greeks and the Romans – versus the empires that sprung up along the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and beyond. Even the Mongols were here for a short time.

The Land of Israel is also a place where monotheists first fought polytheists, with the monotheistic nations later battling one another (whether it was the Crusaders versus the Muslims and Jews or the Muslims pitted against the Jews). During the Cold War in the 20th century, the region served as a front line between the United States and the Soviet Union; between democracy and dictatorship. The narrow strip of land between Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea is a historical corridor, and Jaffa is that corridor’s port.

The reconstruction of the Egyptian gate.

2. Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Ramses II’s Gate Garden

On your way down from the observation point, heading toward the alleys of Old Jaffa, you will come across a small fenced-in archaeological site that contains a gate with Egyptian hieroglyphics, known as Ramses’ Gate. The gate is a reconstruction from the pieces that were unearthed during the dig. At this site 3,800 years ago, the urban settlement of Jaffa began. It’s not a particularly impressive site, and the artifacts recovered do not testify to the presence of a major city. Instead, it looks like Jaffa was only a small village. But our definition of what a city is differs from archaeological definitions, which do not consider the amount of land or the size of the population. According to archaeologists, a city is a settlement surrounded by a wall. The thought that lies behind this definition is that a wall is a sign of a public project. As long as every family worries only about itself, the settlement is considered a village. A wall indicates the existence of social stratification and organization, and that someone, such as a governor or a king, organized the people and gave orders. At the underground visitor’s center on Kedumim Square, Old Jaffa’s main square, you can view remains of the wall from the 18th century BCE.

The Egyptian gate is part of a story you’ve probably heard before without realizing that its origins lie here. In 1468 BCE, the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III embarked on a military campaign as he crossed through the Land of Israel on his way to Mesopotamia. When Thutmose tried to conquer the city of Jaffa, he encountered resistance. A letter written by his scribe describes how Thutmose’s war minister, Djehuti, used an elaborate ruse. He showed the ruler of Jaffa Thutmose’s scepter and claimed that he was rebelling against his pharaoh and asked to join the Jaffa rebels. To show his serious intent, Djehuti sent gifts in sacks and baskets, strapped to the backs of 200 donkeys. The gifts were gladly received by the ruler’s wife, who allowed the caravan to enter the walls of Jaffa. Once inside, 200 of Thutmose’s soldiers jumped out of the baskets in front of the astonished citizens, opened the city’s gates from the inside, and let in the large army hiding outside.

It sounds like the ancient pharaoh’s scribe is describing another story, the story of the conquest of Troy and the Trojan horse. The story of Thutmose’s conquest of Jaffa, though, precedes it by 600 years.

Ran Morin’s statue Suspended Orange Tree.

3. Suspended Orange Tree

Created by the Israeli artist Ran Morin, this statue consists of an orange tree growing out of an earthenware jug, which is suspended in the air by three metal chains attached to the façades of nearby houses – hence the title Suspended Orange Tree. Morin’s specialty is growing mature trees in small containers, and he has other statues of hanging trees as well. The trees are replaced every few years.

The story of Jaffa oranges, also known as Shamouti in Israel, began around 200 years ago. The development of a mutation in Jaffa’s orange trees led to the creation of a new variety. This new orange was sweeter and had a thicker peel, which lengthened its shelf life and allowed the orange to be exported to Europe without getting crushed along the way. At the time, the importance of vitamin C was already known in Europe, so the demand for oranges was very high. Because the oranges were shipped from the Jaffa Port, they became known as Jaffa oranges. Jaffa became a famous brand name, and the rights to use it were sold to countries around the world. Today, most of the citrus fruits that bear the name Jaffa aren’t actually grown in Israel.

In 1964, the Israeli government purchased part of the Russian Compound in Jerusalem from the Soviet Union. It was one of first large transactions made by the nascent state. Israel soon realized that it did not have enough funds to pay for the land and ended up paying almost half of the sum in thousands of tons of oranges. This transaction became known as the Orange Deal.

Whale sculpture in Jaffa (not on the itinerary).

4. Kedumim Square and St. Peter’s Church

The most important Jewish and Christian sites in Jaffa

Opening hours:

St. Peter’s Church: 8:00–11:45, 15:00–17:00

Visitor’s Center in Kedumim Square:

March–November:

Sunday–Thursday, Saturday: 9:00–20:00, Friday: 9:00–17:00

December–February:

Sunday–Thursday, Saturday: 9:00–18:00, Friday: 9:00–15:00

Tour price: NIS 30 (to arrange a tour, it is advisable to call ahead: 03-603-7700)

Even though Jaffa is not as important a religious site as Jerusalem, two very interesting stories took place here – one from the Jewish Bible and the other from the New Testament.