Joppa was a port town on the coast. It had a large Jewish population and was part of Judea, but it also had a sizeable Gentile presence, more so than Lydda.1 It was part of the allotment initially given to Dan (Joshua 19:40–48). It was also the town from which Jonah boarded a ship to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3).
36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.