Yafa (or Jaffa in English) is one of the oldest cities of Palestine. It was the heart of the country.
It is on the east side of the Mediterranean, with the most beautiful beaches, and one of the first and oldest shipping ports in the region making it Palestine’s commercial gateway serving agriculture and industry. And allowed visitors to enter from all over the Arab world, and Europe.
It was rich in culture, singers from all around used to come and perform for the people.
It was also famous for it's theatres and cinema halls, Al-Hambra theatre was once the largest theatres in the middle east. It still stands today and has been converted as a center for the church of Scientology.
Yafa was a busy city, a centre for many things.
It had two main public transportation companies, first they started local routes from jaffa to Jerusalem, Ramleh and Haifa. Then after a couple of years they expanded with routes to Beirut – Lebanon.
The bus trip from Jaffa to Beirut cost about one Palestinian lira.
It had trade unions, Hospitals, Schools. Jaffa had more advanced technology than any other city in the middle east with it's railways and electrical infrastructure
And it's citizens were amongst the most educated in the region as it was one of the few places with many schools.
It was also a city of Oranges.
Oranges were so valuable that they were sometimes traded for other goods. A brand new Mercedes used to be 500 boxes of Oranges.
My Grandfather's family had two houses there and lived most of their life's in the city. I talk about their story and my Grandfather's "Sido" journey after the war.
My whole life I have said I am from Yafa, and it makes me proud to say it.