Lovely statue of Jonah's whale in Old Jaffa.

Story depicting the big fish swallowing Jonas in the Bible

Nice little statue in old Jaffa town in Tel Aviv. The restaurant on the other side of the street served a very good shakshuka.

Nice place in Old Jaffa. The Smiling Whale (1985) is a bronze installation by Ilana Goor (born 1936), Israel. The Prophet Jonah escaped to Tarshish via the Jaffa Port as it is said: “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish...” (Jonah 1:3). Therefore as far as Ilana Goor was concerned it was only natural to sculpt the whale and place it specifically in the area of Old Jaffa close to the port and the Museum building. Goor’s whale is smiling, it does not testify to any drama, event or the storm that took place when it swallowed the prophet as punishment for refusing to carry out God’s work and to announce to the people of Nineveh that they were sinners. The event ends with a happy ending and therefore the sculpture of the whale is also depicted in an optimistic fashion. The fountain that issues from its body also grants it a natural environment and the trickling of the water has become a permanent background sound in the area.

The first stop in Israel. The whale occured me Jonna in the stomach of a big fish for 3 days. God wants all of us to repent and he will forgive us.

This is a great spot to have a moment of rest while the kids enjoy playing near the fountain. It's also Jonah's whale, so it's a great opportunity to tell them the story of Jonah and the Whale.

Kind, cheerful and smiling whale. Two small parking lots next to it. Located in the beginning of the Old Jaffa city, so can be very notable meeting point for some groups or pick up location for a taxi, for instance. There are some restaurants next to it, even one kiosk where you can buy ice cream and cigarettes. Statue has written sing 'Ilana Goor museum' and it is located close by. And it is fountain same time, so during the summer, it is fresh and comfortable next to the site.

Cute fountain by our hotel. Make sure you check out the suspended orange tree and the Artist's home and Museum! Ilana Goor Museum is just around the corner.

Obviously this is an exact replica of the big fish that swallowed Jonah - not! But it is a cool fountain and a good landmark to meet at.

Its a statue of a smiling whale with water flowing over it. Dont go out of your way to come see this. There are some coffee shops across the street that you can sit at and look at the statue. It's not so big

A cute figurine of a fish.