Jaffa, known to the ancient Canaanites as "Yafi," meaning “gorgeous,” is one of the oldest cities in the world, and its history is as rich as the citrus groves that would later define it. From its days as a bustling trade hub under the Egyptians and Israelites to its transformation into a cultural and agricultural powerhouse under Ottoman rule, Jaffa’s story intertwines the rise of empires with the cultivation of a simple yet extraordinary fruit: the orange.
How did Jaffa oranges outshine their Spanish and Italian competitors to grace royal tables across Europe? What role did a German religious movement and Arab farmers play in revolutionizing citrus farming? And how did the shared citrus heritage of Arabs and Jews evolve into both a symbol of unity and a source of contention?
Join John and Patrick in the first episode of our three part series on the Israel-Palestine conflict, as they explore the captivating journey of Jaffa oranges and their enduring impact on culture, trade, and the legacy of a city that has stood at the crossroads of history.
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