Reflection by: Ben Tan
Day 1 – Tel Aviv and the Old city of Jaffa
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 as a Jewish garden suburb of the ancient Mediterranean port of Jaffa (now Yafo), with which it was joined in 1950. By the beginning of the 21st century, the modern city of Tel Aviv had developed into a major economic and cultural center. Tel Aviv is the headquarters for a number of government ministries, including the Ministry of Defense, as well as other public organizations, such as the Histadrut (General Federation of Labour). Most of the foreign embassies in Israel are also located in the city. In addition, most of Israel’s large corporations are headquartered in Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv’s rapid growth and emergence as a prominent center were largely due to its advantageous location. Proximity to the old city of Jaffa (whose port served as the gateway to Jerusalem, farther inland) and a Jewish rural-agricultural hinterland were important in Tel Aviv’s early stages, as was its status as the first modern Jewish city in Palestine. In the mid-1930s Tel Aviv surpassed Jerusalem as the largest city in Palestine (after 1948, the State of Israel). In the mid-1970s, however, Jerusalem exceeded Tel Aviv, which continues to be the country’s second-largest city. Tel Aviv forms the core of Israel’s largest metropolitan area, representing more than two-fifths of Israel’s population. Despite some decrease in its share of Israel’s population, the economic and cultural prominence of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area continue to grow. Area city, 20 square miles (52 square km); metropolitan area, 586 square miles (1,518 square km). Pop. (2008) city, 402,600; metropolitan area, 3,233,500.
Tel Aviv’s character is frequently contrasted with that of Jerusalem. Tel Aviv is depicted as the city “that never stops,” a thriving, vibrant, modern, dynamic, and multicultural city, one generally characterized as tolerant, secular, and liberal, while also materialistic and hedonistic—a city of the present, lacking deep historical roots. Jerusalem, by contrast, is seen as eternal and holy, conservative, and an arena for major conflicts within Israeli society, including that between Israelis and Palestinians. It has been said by some that “while Jerusalem prays, Tel Aviv plays.”
In the past, Tel Aviv was negatively portrayed as a city that lacked character and was unpleasantly humid, ugly, and prematurely aging, with decaying buildings covered in peeling stucco and small business blocks of stained concrete. However, these representations lost much ground during the last quarter of the 20th century, partly the result of substantial beautification efforts—the most significant of which included a new orientation toward the beach, an area that had decayed for decades. Whereas past perceptions marked Tel Aviv as the stronghold of the non-pioneering segment of Israeli society, later views have come to acknowledge Tel Aviv’s importance as the engine of the Israeli economy, and its rich cultural and entertainment amenities have been increasingly appreciated. Emerging civic pride has been based on the quality of life offered in the city and its metropolitan area.
Tel Aviv lacks remarkable natural features and historically was not renowned for its architecture. Typical buildings in neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area have been three- and four-story flat-roofed apartment houses of concrete and cement brick, covered in stucco and standing on narrow pillars with a small green space or parking lot. However, Tel Aviv’s architectural heritage has been increasingly acknowledged since the late 20th century, and its aesthetics and architectural variety have attracted greater appreciation. Some of Tel Aviv’s most significant architectural heritage consists of buildings from the 1930s and ’40s, designed in the International Style, which was influenced by the Bauhaus school; Tel Aviv is considered to have the greatest concentration of such buildings worldwide. The White City, as about 4,000 such buildings are collectively known, was constructed in Tel Aviv by European-trained architects between the early 1930s and the late ’40s and was based on the urban plan of Scottish sociologist Sir Patrick Geddes. The White City’s simple, functional style has become renowned for its consideration of the culture, climate, and needs of its inhabitants. The White City was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003.
Jews represent the vast majority of Tel Aviv’s population. Tel Aviv’s Jewish populace is considered to be largely secular, although a significant minority is religious. Arabs—mainly Muslims, as well as a number of Christians—account for a very small fraction of the population. The city’s population is substantially more affluent than the national average, and the size of its average household is typically smaller. The city has a rather high proportion of both elderly residents and single-parent families compared with the Israeli and metropolitan averages.
Tel Aviv’s social geography is characterized by its north-south divide. The wealthiest neighbourhoods are situated north of the Yarkon River, but the “old north” (south of the Yarkon; previously the northern edge of the city, before it expanded beyond the river) is also upscale. The poorest neighborhoods are largely located in the south, although some areas have gentrified.
The old city of Jaffa:
Tel Aviv is located on Israel’s central coastal plain along about 9 miles (15 km) of shoreline. The old city of Jaffa is situated on a promontory bounded by the Mediterranean coastline to the west and north; its small bay was the location of a port in ancient times. Sand dunes and marshy areas made access difficult from the south and southeast. Lying northeast of Yafo, Tel Aviv is built over three low ridges of soft sandstone hills that run almost parallel to the coastline. A narrow belt of small sand dunes covering the westernmost of these ridges expands inland where gaps in the relief occur. More sandstone ridges lie to the east, and the suburban, built-up area now spreads beyond them into the rich agricultural land of the coastal plain.
Jaffa is one of the most ancient port cities in the world.
Perched on top of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea with a natural harbor and fertile soil, ancient Jaffa was a strategic prize. It was conquered and reconquered countless times by Canaanites, Phoenicians, the Pharaohs, King David, the Assyrians, and more.
House of Simon the Tanner:
ACTS 10:6 6 “He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
Why was Peter staying with a tanner poignant and significant?
Peter would not have been predisposed to stay with Simon because Jewish law deemed Tanner unclean.
It is of some curiosity that Luke, the writer, mentions three times that the apostle lodged with one Simon, a tanner (Acts 9:43; 10:6,32). This is the only time the occupation of “tanner” is mentioned in the Bible. Here is the significance: A tanner was constantly dealing with dead animals. This occupation was thus regarded with aversion by the Jews because it necessitated more or less ceremonial contamination, especially in the case of unclean animals
Tanners tanned hides that they stripped off of dead animals, including those that the Jewish law deemed unclean: “The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean. And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you” (Leviticus 11:26-28). The Jews already considered gentiles to be unclean. By drawing Peter into the home of a gentile tanner – the dirtiest of the dirty – God was breaking down barriers and preparing Peter as a vessel to pour out His blessing onto the gentiles.
The fact that Simon’s house was said to be “by the seaside” is an indication of the accuracy of the text. First, tanning skins produced a foul smell, hence, tanneries were outside the city by the sea
Now here is an important point. The fact that Peter was willing to dwell with a tanner reveals that he, unlike many other Jews, was already altering his views with reference to Old Testament ceremonial laws. He was therefore the ideal person through whom to convey the gospel to the Gentiles. Make a note to this effect.
Reflection:
Our journey for Sequela Christi 2022 began at Changi Airport, where a group of 45 Young Adults, gathered for a spirit-filled pilgrimage to the Holy Land, led by Fraternitas’ spiritual assistant, Friar John-Paul, OFM, and Friar Crispus OFM.
After a laborious (and slightly bumpy) 14-hour flight, we arrived in the Holy City. We met with our tour leader, Josef. He is exciting, charismatic, and eager to share the history and culture of Israel. His eagerness to share captivated (most of) our attention despite feeling jet lagged. One of the most profound things that he shared was the first words that he said while greeting us: “Welcome home”.
He had brought us on a city tour of Tel Aviv as well as the old city of Jaffa. Jaffa is situated on top of a hill, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. From there we visited many significant places such as the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and got to hear the story of Simon the Tanner.
Personally, I felt… jetlagged. However, on a serious note, I believe that this pilgrimage is extremely significant. In the sense that Sequela Christi has brought us 45 pilgrims to follow in the literal footsteps of Jesus, to discover the vestiges of Jesus. I felt a wave of unexpected reality. To be following Jesus’ footprints and to experience the culture, albeit different, is truly an amazing one. The first thing that I thought of, was did Jesus feel this cold? This is where experiencing immersion in the biblical world truly takes form.
This was a short day, with already so many different emotions and experiences. I have a feeling the pilgrims and myself are going to experience a journey of both historical and self-discovery, as advertised: a perilous one. May God bless us on this experience and may we be truly welcomed home.