Tel Aviv-Jaffa - Ashkelon

Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Tel Aviv-Jaffa

The coastline of Israel has always consisted almost entirely of sandy beaches and dunes, the sand being washed up by the sea from the delta of the Nile river, with very few places suitable for a port. In ancient times the the natural harbor of Acco was a main port on the north with the small harbor of Joppa (Jaffa) was used as the port for the central and south coasts. Over the last few thousand years Joppa’s conquerers and inhabitants have included Egyptians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Mamlukes and Ottomans.

Modern Tel Aviv was started in 1909 with a small settlement of Jewish settlers on the dunes around Joppa. The town plan was drawn up by innovative Scottish urban planner Patrick Geddes and was incorporated by the city’s first Mayor Meir Dizengoff in 1925. Tel Aviv has grown rapidly with the European refugees in the 1930’s and the waves of immigration after World War II. In 1950 Tel Aviv and Jaffa were merged as Tel Aviv Yafo and is now the largest metropolitan area in Israel and has become the centre of business and technology for the country.

Tel Aviv-Old Jaffa (Joppa)

Old Jaffa (Joppa)

About halfway up the coast of Israel there is a hill above a line of offshore rocks forming a small natural harbor and it was on this location that the ancient city of Joppa (Jaffa) was built. Joppa was has been conquered and occupied by many nations and empires but it’s most well known history is from it’s connection to ancient Israel and to early Christianity.

Joppa was first mentioned as the boundary to the Territory of Dan in Jos 19:46. In Solomon’s time (2Ch 2:16) the cedars of Lebanon were brought by ship to Joppa for the building of the temple and Jonah fled to Tarshish from Joppa (Jon 1:). In early Christian times the resurrection of Tabitha (Ac 9:36-42) happened in Joppa and it was from here that Peter had his vision to baptize the Italian officer Cornelius, who became the first non Jew to convert to Christianity, while Peter was staying at the house of Simon the Tanner (Ac 10:5-8).

Simon the Tanner's House, Old Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel

Tel Aviv-Carmel Market

Carmel Market-Shuk HaCarmel

One of Israel’s most famous open markets, the Carmel Market or Shuk HaCarmel, dates back to 1920 and is where locals, tourists and new immigrants mix to shop for or sell spices, fruit and vegetables, seafood, meat and sweets. It borders the lively Kerem HaTeimanim neighborhood.

Tel Aviv-the White City

Tel Aviv-the White City

The modernist movement in design began in the Bauhaus School in Germany, originally under the direction of the Architect Walter Gropius. The design emphasized simplicity, function and proportions and would prove to be the most influential design school of it’s time. When Jewish architects were fleeing Germany and Europe during the 1930’s they brought the Bauhaus style to Tel Aviv. The reinforced concrete construction was borrowed from Europe but the exterior design was adapted with smaller windows and white exteriors to help with the heat of the Middle East. The radiant heat of the poured concrete construction in summer gave rise to people heading outside and that led to the out door cafe culture the city would become famous for.

Tel Aviv has the largest collection of buildings from the Bauhaus era in the world - there are over 4000 examples of this style, in various stages of neglect and restoration, that have survived. In 2003, UNESCO named Tel Aviv a World Heritage Site for it’s wealth of examples of this period of modern Architecture.

Ashkelon

Ashkelon, a seaport just north of Gaza, was one of the 5 principle cities of the Philistines in ancient times. During the Israelite conquest of Canaan Ashkelon was assigned to Judah. But by Samson’s time it was a Philistine city (Jg 14:19) and remained under Philistine control even during the reign of David (2Sa 1:20). Ashkelon’s later conquerors would include: Babylon, Greece, Rome, the Crusaders and it was finally destroyed by the Mamluks in the 13th Century C.E.

Ancient Ashkelon was protected by a massive earthen Rampart over 15m high, the remains of the east wall can still be seen today at Ashkelon National Park along with the Canaanite gate, considered to be the oldest vaulted gate in the world.

Ashkelon National Park, Israel Photo courtesy of Russell Reid

daniel campbellMarch 21, 2020Tel Aviv Israel, Tel Aviv Jaffa, Israel Beach