Breaking Bread: How One Israeli Restaurant Is Creating Peace Through Hummus

Despite being neighbors, Israel and Palestine could not be any further apart. Since Israel’s founding in 1948, the two countries have been divided by war, politics, and religion. There are old wounds and new wounds and… the reasoning and the fault distribution behind the conflict is far too complex (and tragic) a topic to intelligently discuss in the short-form space.

Two things are clear:

1. Both sides have suffered.

2. Something needs to change.

One restaurant in Israel is attempting to end the hatred and suffering in its own small way, by connecting Jews and Arabs through a common love: food.

The Humus Bar (also referred to as “Hummus Bar”) in Kfar Vitkin, Israel recently posted a promotion on its Facebook page that will give a 50 percent discount on the meal when Arabs and Jews eat together in the restaurant. As reported by The Times of Israel:

Manager Kobi Tzafrir said that by the post-lunch rush on Monday, Hummus Bar had already served several tables with both Arabs and Jews, a trend that’s been consistent since the ad went up on Facebook on October, 13. He said the idea’s been well received by Arabs and Jews alike, as well as people online from as far afield as Japan who’d heard of the initiative…The kitchen is kosher, and therefore halal as well, meaning the only thing stopping observant Jews and Muslims is the will to dine together on the hummus with stewed chickpeas and msabaha — warm chickpeas swimming in tahini.

Israel and Palestine have been divided by so much over the years, but the one thing they both share is a love of hummus. While a shared love of food is certainly not enough to end a conflict, especially one as entrenched as Israel and Palestine’s, it can at least create a moment of peace and dialogue between warring factions, even if it only lasts as long as the meal. This might not seem like much, and maybe it isn’t, but it’s a step in the right direction.

And in the words of the Humus Bar’s manager, Kobi Tzafrir: “If there’s anything that can bring together these peoples, it’s hummus.”

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