A Palestinian family story

Micaela Sahhar grew up hearing stories of her Palestinian family's life in Jerusalem before 1948, and what happened when they had to leave.

There was her grandfather’s tourism business, her grandmother’s wedding necklace, and the dramatic circumstances of her father’s birth.

Most of all there was the house, built by her grandfather for his extended family, at 8 Asa Street Jerusalem.

This was the house her family had fled in 1948.

And one midnight, many decades later, Micaela found herself standing outside its front gate.

Further Information Find Me at the Jaffa Gate, an encyclopedia of a Palestinian family is published by NewSouth books.

This episode was recorded at the 2026 Byron Bay Writer's Festival.

The producer was Jen Leake and Nicola Harrison is the Executive Producer.

It explores family, memoir, Palestinians, Israel, 1948, bombings, violence, mass displacement, Christianity, religion, Arabic, Melbourne, grandparents, Palestinian diaspora, family stories, memories, trauma, history, family home, keys, memory, Nakba, church, Jerusalem, Jordan, maternity hospital, tourism.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.