Joppa

Joppa, known in Hebrew as Yaffo and in Arabic as Yafo, is an ancient port city on the Mediterranean coast, now a district of the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo in Israel. It is one of the region’s oldest settlements and has long served as a gateway between inland Palestine and Mediterranean trade routes.

Archaeological remains indicate settlement at Joppa from the Bronze Age, and the site developed as a major maritime hub under various powers, including the Canaanites, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. Its strategic location helped link inland routes with sea lanes, contributing to the growth of commerce and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Biblical references give Joppa a prominent role: Jonah boarded a ship there to flee to Tarshish, and in the New Testament, Peter raises Tabitha in Joppa and receives the vision that leads to the inclusion of Gentiles (Acts 10). The Crusaders built fortifications at Jaffa, and the port remained an important urban center through the medieval period.

In modern times, Jaffa developed as a Jewish and Arab urban quarter adjacent to the British Mandate city, and was incorporated into Tel Aviv-Yafo after the establishment of the state of Israel. The modern Jaffa Port serves commercial and leisure purposes, while the old city acts as a tourist and cultural center, known for its winding alleys, markets, and art spaces.

Jaffa is also associated with Jaffa oranges, a variety named for the region and exported during the 19th and 20th centuries, a linkage that helped popularize the fruit worldwide.