Somewhere in Jaffa
Jaffa is a place of contradictions: socially, economically, politically and visually. Tensions and contradictions - in particular between the traditional and the contemporary- abound. I did not however try to present a comprehensive view of this complex city and its population. Rather as says I “just aimed to frame moments as I found them in the streets and homes of the city, hoping to capture the ambiance and the diversity of Jaffa, keeping in mind ethnicity, tradition, the old and the modern.”
As I walked the streets and sat in cafes, I met people over breakfast, in the shops, markets and building sites. Many of these people shared their thoughts with me, whilst others most generously took me into their homes and introduced me to their families. The people of Jaffa are not shy about expressing their opinions. They have visions of how they want to see their city and pride in Jaffa’s history and their roots there. They are also remarkably hospitable and welcoming. There are few places in the world where you see a person in a café, ask permission to photograph them, engage in a conversation with them and then end up being invited for a meal at their home. Jaffa is one of those places where this happened more than once.
I wouldn’t want to give the impression that all is rosy, and that there are no problems or issues of concern in Jaffa. There are nationalistic groups from both the Jewish and Arab people who hope to change the city into their own vision of what it should be. The unique thing is that people have learned to make a life for themselves in a mixed city regardless of issues arising from differences in ethnic roots.
As my friend Asma Agbarieh-Zahalka a contributor to my book wrote: “A town forever kissed by the sea will never be contained. No border can confine her, or restrain her or bar her. No border can suppress her or make her disappear, forgotten by history. She is rebellious and beautiful; yielding but also spirited. She is as strong as the sea, sustained by its strength. She has seen so many sunsets, she is no longer afraid of the dark – long and chilling as that may be. She knows the light is stronger and it will find its way back to the sky like waves coming back to the shore. This is my Jaffa.” Asma Agbarieh-Zahalka.
This project was exhibited in Melbourne and Sydney (as part of the ‘Head On’ photographic festival)
