Book Series— Overview
The Knights of Jaffa is a documentary book series that combines photography, travel writing, history, and visual anthropology to explore the sacred landscapes, ancient cities, and cultural memory of the Holy Land.
The Knights of Jaffa: Notes From The Jewish Diaspora, is a written and visual record of Alex Goldblum’s political activism on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The book consists of journal entries, poetry, and letters to leaders of the Israeli Knesset. The book is part journalism and part critical theory. The photographs in the book are from 2010 and 2011, and were taken by Alex Goldblum.
The Knights of Jaffa: Notes From The Jewish Diaspora is the book companion to Alex Goldblum’s documentary film, The Thin Green Line (2022).
The Green Line is the border separating the West Bank from Israel. The Thin Green Line is a documentary film about life in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Through a combination of cinema verité filming techniques and montage editing, the movie endeavors to explore life on both sides of the Green Line.
As the sound of the Muezzin carries through the air, the zeitgeist of Israeli politics can be felt just below the surface. The waves of the Mediterranean crash upon the shore. The Thin Green Line is a project about life and politics in Israel and Palestine.
The Knights of Jaffa: Notes From the Jewish Diaspora is a book project that hopes to explore human rights, civil rights, social justice, and geopolitics in Israel and Palestine.
Delve into the heart of the Holy Land with “The Knights of Jaffa: The Holy Land Journals,” the captivating sequel penned by Alex Goldblum, author of the esteemed series chronicling the vibrant tapestry of history, culture, and politics in the region. Through a compelling blend of essays, letters, and poetry, Goldblum weaves a narrative that transcends time, offering readers a profound exploration of Israel’s rich heritage.
Embark on a journey through the annals of history, from the echoes of the Crusades to the complexities of contemporary Israeli society. Within these pages, readers will encounter intimate letters addressed to the Israeli Knesset leadership, offering poignant insights and impassioned pleas for understanding and reconciliation.
Against the backdrop of stunning photography captured firsthand by Goldblum during his travels in Israel and Palestine, this book invites readers to witness the beauty and turmoil of the Holy Land. From the solemn reflections on the October 7 Simchat Torah Massacre to the harrowing accounts of conflict in Gaza and Northern Israel’s border with Lebanon, each journal entry serves as a testament to the resilience and spirit of the people caught in the midst of upheaval.
“The Knights of Jaffa: The Holy Land Journals” is more than just a literary work—it is a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the human experience. Join Alex Goldblum on a voyage of discovery and rediscovery, as he uncovers the untold stories and hidden truths that shape the destiny of a land steeped in legend and legacy.
The Knights of Jaffa: War and Peace in the Land of Milk and Honey is not a single story, but a convergence of many—of journeys taken across continents and generations, of histories both inherited and witnessed, and of a land whose meaning continues to evolve with every step upon it. This book exists at the intersection of photography and journal, of documentation and reflection, of the external world and the internal search for understanding.
Over the course of several years, I traveled through Israel and the Palestinian territories, returning again and again to places that resist easy definition. What began as a photographic endeavor gradually became something more expansive: a record not only of landscapes and people, but of encounters, conversations, and the shifting contours of my own perspective. The camera, at times, served as a bridge; at others, it stood aside, allowing the written word to carry what images alone could not.
The land often described as the “Land of Milk and Honey” reveals itself here in all its complexity. There is beauty—undeniable and enduring—in its ancient cities, deserts, and sacred sites. But there is also tension, conflict, and contradiction. This book does not attempt to resolve those contradictions. Instead, it seeks to present them honestly, as they are experienced on the ground: in the stillness of a street in Jerusalem, in the vast openness of the Negev Desert, in the charged atmosphere of a checkpoint, and in the quiet resilience of communities living within and alongside conflict.
Interwoven with this contemporary documentation is a more personal thread: a journey into family history and Jewish identity. The “Knights of Jaffa” are not only a metaphor, but an exploration of lineage—of diaspora, memory, and belonging. Through genealogical reflection, the past enters into dialogue with the present, raising questions about heritage, responsibility, and the meaning of connection to place.
This book also engages directly with the realities of war and political struggle. Some of these pages take on the tone of war journalism, capturing moments shaped by instability and uncertainty. Others move into the realm of opinion and reflection, grappling with the moral and human dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These perspectives are not presented as definitive answers, but as part of an ongoing process of witnessing and understanding—a recognition that any honest account of this region must remain open, incomplete, and willing to confront complexity.
Ultimately, The Knights of Jaffa: War and Peace in the Land of Milk and Honey is an attempt to hold multiple truths at once: the sacred and the contested, the historical and the immediate, the personal and the political. It is a record of a place, but also of a journey—one that continues beyond the final page.
If there is a unifying thread, it is this: to see clearly, to listen closely, and to document faithfully. In doing so, perhaps we come closer not only to understanding the land, but to understanding ourselves within it.
The Chronicles of Alex Michael serves as the philosophical and narrative prelude to The Knights of Jaffa series, introducing readers to a world shaped by geopolitics, spiritual inquiry, cultural memory, and the unseen forces that influence international affairs. Written through the lens of contemporary religio-spiritual reflection, the book blends political observation, historical interpretation, and personal journey into a work that moves between documentary realism and literary meditation. The result is a text that examines the intersections of power, belief, identity, and history in an increasingly interconnected world.
Set against the backdrop of real historical events and global tensions, The Chronicles of Alex Michael explores themes of diplomacy, finance, conflict, and human struggle while questioning the deeper moral and spiritual dimensions behind world affairs. The narrative travels across borders and ideologies, presenting a perspective that is both introspective and geopolitical, drawing connections between ancient traditions and modern crises. Through its layered storytelling, the book seeks to reveal hidden narratives and overlooked histories that shape contemporary society in ways often unrecognized by the public.
As the first edition connected to The Knights of Jaffa universe, the book establishes the intellectual and thematic foundations for the larger series that follows. It introduces readers to the recurring motifs of sacred geography, historical continuity, cultural coexistence, and visual anthropology that later define The Knights of Jaffa. Combining elements of travel literature, philosophical commentary, historical reflection, and political analysis, The Chronicles of Alex Michaelfunctions both as a standalone work and as the gateway into a broader exploration of memory, civilization, and the enduring significance of the Holy Land.