“Epiphany, a Christian holiday, commemorates the Magi’s visit, Jesus’s baptism, and the Cana wedding. In Palestine, a unique tradition unfolds: a cross toss competition into the water by a priest, where boys and men compete for blessings.

The video by Muhammad Toukhy explores this custom at St. Peter’s Church in Old Jaffa, known for its rare westward orientation, provoking reflection on Jaffa’s profound link to the sea and the West and the distinct identity of Palestinians in this enclave surrounded by Israeli settlements and the sea; a constant reminder of this connection to the sea and the fear of exile. Jaffa’s port holds nostalgia and trauma, symbolizing both hope and conflict, which is mirrored in the history of St. Peter’s Church itself”.

         – Tamir Eting

Curator: Avi Lubin