Filmed: May 2024

Samir Jahshan, born in Jerusalem in 1933, recalls his early life in Palestine. His father was a well-to-do textile merchant who had immigrated to Chile at 16 years old. He spent 15 years of his life there before returning to Palestine and opening a textile business on Yafa Street. His mother was from a notable Jerusalem family, known for her charm and beauty. When his father returned from Chile, he was searching for her to ask for her hand in marriage. He wanted Badi’a and no other. They got engaged and then married in Jerusalem.

Growing up, Samir remembers his vacations across different towns in Palestine, especially the trips to Yafa, the city built on the sea. He also remembers how his uncles would take their children to Ramallah, or how his parents honeymooned in Gaza, famous for its breathtaking shore.

Samir will never forget how they left their home in Jerusalem and the fear his father felt as they bore witness to the Israeli occupation forcing its hand on their land and property. The neighbourhood had become a ghost town. Samir remembers how his parents lost everything as they were forced into exile. Listen to Samir Jahshan’s stories from Palestine, told with warmth and nostalgia, and a longing for the liberation of his homeland.