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We only had a few hours in the morning to explore Old Jaffa before our flight out of Israel. It’s a lively area and one of the main attractions in Tel Aviv.
Old Saraya House
After visiting Clock Tower Square and before entering the HaPisgah Gardens, we passed the Old Saraya House. It served as the Ottoman government building before the new complex was built at Clock Tower Square.
Arab-Hebrew Theatre
The Old Saraya House contains the Arab-Hebrew Theatre, which provides a stage for two independent theatre companies. Teatron Mekomi was established in 1990 and produces works in Hebrew, while al-Saraya was established in 1998 and produces works in Arabic. They conduct plays together and independently.
Jaffa Museum
On the other side of the Old Saraya House is the Jaffa Museum. It was founded by Israeli archaeologist Dr. Jacob Kaplan, who excavated in and around Old Jaffa. It displays artifacts dating back to 6,000 BC. The museum was closed when we walked by.
Hamam
On the back of the Old Saraya House is a former Ottoman hamam. It operated during the 19th century and has been renovated for modern use as an event venue.
Kedumim Square
Next, we walked through the HaPisgah Gardens, which are covered in another post, before exiting at Kedumim Square. As the main square of Old Jaffa, Kedumim Square is surrounded by restaurants and cafés.
There’s also a zodiac fountain erected in 2011 as well as the Old Jaffa Visitor’s Center. The fountain was under renovation when we walked through.
St. Peter’s Church
On the north side of the square is St. Peter’s Church, which sits atop a 12th century citadel built by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. The citadel was restored in the second half of the 13th century by Louis IX of France.
The original church was built in 1654 and dedicated to St. Peter, who raised St. Tabitha from the dead in Jaffa (Acts 9:36-43). The current church was built between 1888 and 1894 by Alfonso XIII of Spain and is the largest building in Old Jaffa. The stained glass windows were made in Munich by German artist Franz Xaver Zettler (1841-1916).
St. Peter’s Church is run by the Franciscans. Mass is held in English, Spanish, Polish, and Hebrew. St. Peter’s Monastery is attached to the church.
House of Simon the Tanner
Next, we walked down to Jaffa Port, which is covered in another post, before climbing back up to the narrow alleys of Old Jaffa. There, we found the House of Simon the Tanner.
According to Christian tradition, Simon the Tanner hosted St. Peter during his missionary work in the city (Acts 9:43, Acts 10:5-6, and Acts 10:31-32). The house is privately owned by the Zakarian family and cannot be visited.
House of Eli Ilan
Just up the stairs is the house of Israeli sculptor Eli Ilan (1928-1982). Ilan was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and emigrated to Israel in 1948. He lived and worked in the house for several years.
Southern Wall
From there, we walked up a set of stairs to the remains of the southern wall that once surrounded Old Jaffa. A wall was built around the city in the early 18th century and was dismantled from 1878 to 1888 to allow for expansion.
Ilana Goor Museum
Just above the southern wall is the Ilana Goor Museum. It was founded by Israeli artist Ilana Goor to display works she created or collected during her career. The building was originally built in 1742 as an inn to house Jewish pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. In the middle of the 19th century, it became a factory for olive oil soap. In 1949, a community of Libyan Jews converted part of the building into a synagogue.
Goor purchased the building in 1983 with the intention of turning it into a museum. The museum opened in September 1995. Adult admission is ₪45 (as of November 2023). We plan to visit on our next trip to Tel Aviv.
Uri Geller Museum
Next door is the Uri Geller Museum, which opened to the public in 2021. It includes items associated with Israeli illusionist Uri Geller and is currently open to private groups only. Private tours for up to 19 people cost ₪1,000 (as of November 2023). Geller personally leads the tours.
Whale Sculpture
A plaza just outside the southern wall features a sculpture of a whale. It was erected to commemorate the story of Jonah and the whale. According to biblical tradition, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell its residents they had sinned. He refused, and instead boarded a ship in Jaffa bound for Tarshish.
During the voyage, a huge storm broke out, which Jonah understands is punishment for disobeying God’s command. In order to stop the storm, he asked to be thrown into the sea. He was swallowed by a giant fish, which some interpret as a whale. Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale before God forgave him and the whale spit him out. He then went to Nineveh to fulfill God’s orders.
College of the Brothers of Jaffa
As we walked back to our hotel to collect our bags and head to Ben Gurion Airport, we passed the College of the Brothers of Jaffa (Collège des Frères de Jaffa). It’s a French high school that opened in 1882 and serves students from preschool to the final year of high school. It’s one of six French international high school programs in Israel.
Tabeetha School
The final point of interest we passed during our short time in Old Jaffa was the Tabeetha School. It was founded in 1863 and is run by the Church of Scotland. The school “welcomes all children regardless of race, nationality, gender or religion”.
