“Afraid of Jews? We don’t have Arabs! But also not Jews…We have people!”
Such begins the latest Facebook post from The Hummus Bar, a hummus spot in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya that, in a bid to promote coexistence amidst the recent wave of violence, is offering 50 per cent off for Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs who eat together.
“We have real fantastic Arab hummus! And amazing Jewish falafel! And free refills on all the hummus dishes whether you are Arab, Jewish, Catholic, Indian, etc.,” the post continues.
Peace over hummus and falafel. Yitzhak Rabin would have been proud.
מפחדים מערבים? מפחדים מיהודים? אצלנו אין ערבים! אבל אין גם יהודים… אצלנו יש בני אדם! וחומוס ערבי אמיתי ומעולה!…
Posted by חומוס בר – Humus Bar on Monday, October 12, 2015
In an interview with Times of Israel, the bar’s manager Kobi Tzafrir said that since the Oct. 13 Facebook post, Jews and Arabs have flocked to the hummus bar together, adding that the initiative has been “well received” by Israelis of both denominations.
As tensions between Israeli Jews and Arabs have continued to escalate, Tzafrir reportedly wanted to find a way to put a halt to the animosity, and remind his patrons that in the end, we’re all “people.”
As the restaurant is kosher, and therefore qualifies as halal for most Muslims, it’s an ideal spot for Jews and Muslims to break bread pita over hummus, tahini, and other traditional Middle Eastern fare.
“If there’s anything that can bring together these peoples, it’s hummus,” Tzafrir said. Maybe someone should get Netanyahu and Abbas in there.
