Bayt Dajan - بيت دجن: New Jewish Settlers In Bayt Dajan Very Happy For The New LOOT, 1949

Beit Dagan, is a Palestinian village located 9 kilometers south-east of the city of Jaffa (Yaffa). Its name is not just that of "another Palestinian village ethnically cleansed in the Nakba in 1948". The name Beit Dagan appears in history books since the days of the Canaanites (the fourth millennium BC) and throughout the history of nations and civilizations have ruled Palestine since then. Featured by continuous development, aggressive agriculture projects, distinguished center for embroidery, and struggle against British and Zionists forces; the Beit Dajan Arab Palestinian history and heritage came to a sudden setback when the houses and streets of this village became vacant of its people on April 25, 1948. Yemenite Jews replaced my grandfathers in their houses! European Jews built houses and other facilities on top of our lands and graveyards! They solved their "Diaspora" problem by stealing our 5000-year old dreams.. and achievements.

This is the first book on Beit Dajan, and –up to our knowledge- the first comprehensive book written about a 1948 Palestinian village. Research for the book material –which took more than one year to finish- took three venues: (1) published encyclopedias, books, and documentaries, etc; (2) the internet, and (3) interviews.
A great wealth of information exists in the publications and on the internet and is accessible in the form of hundreds of quotations from history, geography, economy, education, agriculture, and embroidery in Beit Dajan. The interviews, however, enriched the book with facts that have not been published in the past. Fifty men and women born in Beit Dajan in 1920 and after, and who reside now in Amman-Jordan, were interviewed from March 2009 to March 2010. They spoke about their life in their village. The book documented the encounters of those people with the British and the Zionists. The interviews also documented the wedding parties, the songs, the orange farms activities, the role of the schools and education, Nabi Rubin Seasons, Ramadan and Hajj, and the pride the Dajani women took in the Beit Dajan dress (The Thobe).
Ben-Gurion once said "The elderly Palestinians will die, and youngsters will forget!" This book registered 70-year old memories of 90- and 80-year old Palestinians from Beit Dajan before they die, and will be read by the young Palestinians, so that they will never forget!

Before publishing the book, we will show it on the internet for 1-2 months (www.beitdagan-yaffa.com (. This will give a chance for all those who are interested in Palestine to read it and send their comments ([email protected]).

In this book…
Read how did the orange from Beit Dajan reach Europe?
Read when was the Beit Dajan School for boys built, and who were the teachers that served their before 1948?
Read how did the Zionist gangs disrupt the peace in this village?
Read who was Fteyyeh who killed a British captain near the Beit Dajan Circle?
Read at what age did the Dajani woman start making her dress? Read the details of every stitch in the woven dress, and where did they get the silk threads from?
Read what songs were chanted during the wedding parties?
Read the details of every street of the village: the line up of every house and store in the village allies and yards.


Ayman J. Hammoudeh, MD, FACC