Jaffa ( photo taken 14 Aug at 7:21pm)
Just South of Tel Aviv is the ancient city of Jaffa. It was close enough to walk along the beach front from where we were staying in Tel Aviv to Jaffa ( 2-3 km).
Jaffa Clock Tower
There are "free" guided walking tours starting from the easy to find Clock Tower in the main street. We found this most informative. And having arrived in Jaffa with no previous knowledge of Jaffa it is astounding all the history this little town has. (I say free tour because although it is advertised as "free", you are expected to pay the Tour Guide in the form of a tip).
Here are a few things that we learned on the tour -
*Traditionally believed to have been founded by Japheth, son of Noah.
*It is the oldest town in Israel.
*Jonah went to Joppa (another name for Jaffa) to take a ship to Tarshish (Jonah 1:1-3)
*This was the seaport that Soloman and later Zerubbabel used when bringing timbers from the cedar forests of Lebanon to build their Temples (2Chr 2:16; Ezra 3:7)
*For New Testament references see next post Holy Land Tour -4
*Napoleon captured Jaffa from the Ottoman Empire after the siege of Jaffa was fought from 3-7 March 1799. About 4500 Muslim men prisoners were executed ( most of those executed were previous prisoners who had been released after giving their word that they would fight no more - but did not keep their word - on recapture they were executed). More about this story when we visit the city of Acre.
From LDS History we also learn that a modern Apostle, Orson Hyde, arrived here in 1841 en-rout to Jerusalem, to dedicate the Holy Land for the gathering of the Jewish people and other children of Abraham and for the building of a future temple in Jerusalem.
On tour in Jaffa - outside the old Jerusalem Gate (The gate of the old city on the road to Jerusalem. ) These gates were locked at night for protection.