Simon says: "Let me tell you about the fascinating history of the Jaffa Orange!"

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The Jaffa Orange

Did you know? The Jaffa orange is named after the ancient port city of Jaffa (Yafo in Hebrew), one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited port cities. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the port from which Jonah set sail, & where cedar wood from Lebanon was landed to build King Solomon's Temple.

A fruit born from a happy accident 🌱

The Jaffa orange was originally known as the Shamouti orange. It was a natural mutation that appeared on a native 'Baladi' orange tree in the 1840s near Jaffa, producing a fruit with qualities perfectly suited for trade.

But the industry truly flourished early 20th century when Jewish agriculturalists introduced advanced, scientific cultivation methods that dramatically improved orchard productivity & quality.

What makes it so special? ✨

🍊 Oval-shaped with a thick, deep orange, almost leathery rind
🍊 Very easy to peel, & the tough skin protects it during long journeys, making it ideal for export
🍊 Fragrant, sweet & almost seedless
🍊 Not a juicing orange; it can turn bitter when squeezed, so it's best enjoyed fresh

A picture is worth a thousand words 📸

I have some incredible historical photos that bring this story to life: Jewish & Arab workers picking oranges together in 1915, & crates of these famous oranges waiting to be loaded onto ships at Jaffa Wharf. This was a binational industry; before 1948, about half the orange groves were owned by Arabs & half by Jews, with genuine partnerships forming alongside competition.

The "Orange Steps," built in the late Ottoman period & still visible today, were used to lower crates directly onto vessels bound for Europe.

The Hanging Orange Tree 🎨

If you visit Jaffa today, you can see something truly unique: the Suspended Orange Tree installation by Israeli artist Ran Morin, created in 1993. A real orange tree grows from a large clay "seed," suspended by cables about a metre above the ground between the walls of old buildings.

Local legend says it was inspired by a clever resident who, when officials tried to cut down his orange tree planted on municipal land, simply hung it in the air - avoiding the law that taxed trees "on the ground."

For others, the image of a tree uprooted yet still bearing fruit evokes deeper themes of displacement, resilience & survival. Either way, it's a stunning photo opportunity right in the heart of Old Jaffa.

Want to taste this iconic fruit where it was first grown? Let's 'Imagine Israel' together! 🇮🇱

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