Can One Restaurant's Hummus Help End the Arab-Israeli Conflict?
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Can One Restaurant's Hummus Help End the Arab-Israeli Conflict?

Hummus Bar in Tel Aviv offers a 50 percent discount on any meal shared by a Jew and an Arab.

19
Can One Restaurant's Hummus Help End the Arab-Israeli Conflict?
Inspired Taste

Hummus- it's creamy, made of lemon and chickpeas, delicious and....helping to end international conflict? Kobi Tzafrir, an Israeli restaurant owner, believes that the garlicky goodness of hummus may have more power than your average pita topping, and is using the traditional treat to bring people together.

Tzafrir knows the power of hummus, an ubiquitous dish served across the middle east. Growing up in the suburbs of Tel Aviv, Tzafrir was mostly exposed to store bought, prepackaged hummus. However, when he was 20 years old, he had his first dish of real, home-made hummus at an Arab restaurant- and his perspective was completely changed.

Tzafrir's restaurant, the Hummus Bar in Tel Aviv, offers a 50 percent discount on any meal shared by a Jew and an Arab. He advertised his idea on a Facebook post, which read:

"Are you afraid of Arabs? Are you afraid of Jews? By us there are no Arabs, but also no Jews. We have human beings! And real excellent Arab hummus! And great Jewish falafel!"

His post was shared almost 2,000 times, and word of his idea was picked up by news outlets of every language and culture.


Why run this promotion? In an interview with NPR, Tzafrir stated that he hoped the promotion would help to ease the ever-present tension in the current state of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

For hundreds of years, Arab Muslims and Israeli Jews have been locked in a tense political and religious conflict. This discontent is so deeply ingrained in culture and attitudes that countless lives have been lost by both sides. Tzafrir hopes that his special promotion will encourage people of both races to look at each other not through the lens of their respective ethnicity, but as a living human who loves the same food as they do.

"We hear a lot of extremists on the news, on Facebook, on TV, and it seems like everything here is very bad." Tzafrir stated. "But I wanted to show that everything here is not so bad. Things get out of proportion."

"If you eat a good hummus, you will feel love from the person who made it," he said. "You don't want to stab him."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

43333
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

117227
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments