The coffee shop located between the Hebrew University (Jerusalem) and the nearby hospital campus was once a rare place for Israelis and Palestinians to ignore politics, meet and chat.
Hospital staff, professors, lecturers, domestic and international students of Hebrew University and the hospital often interact with each other at the Aroma Espresso Bar coffee shop. For the past 20 years, the cafe has brought a cheerful atmosphere and is considered a “paradise” for Israelis and Palestinians.
Rania Abu al-Hawa, a mathematics lecturer at the university, said it was a place where people could come “to relax, no matter where they come from” and forget about political problems. Danny, an Israeli, 44 years old, working in real estate, expressed his love for this coffee shop because it “stands out of politics”, people focus on their work and relationships. Relations between Palestinians and Israelis here are very good. He said that this is a place “both Arabs and Jews like to come to”.
Wad Sub Laban, 20 years old, a female student at the university, often visits the cafe during break time to buy a cup of hot chocolate and also commented that the cafe space is like “a paradise” for Palestinians and Israelis. According to the female student, political issues are not discussed here because most of the staff at the restaurant are Arabs and the main customers are Israeli students.
Coffee shop employee Ahmad, a Palestinian, said he has both Palestinian and Israeli friends at work, they often chat together every morning and stress issues will be put aside. The cafe can serve everyone thanks to its “special dynamism” and “openness”. The menu includes many different dishes, suitable for the culture of both Palestinians and Israelis.
However, after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, Ahmad said he talked less with his Israeli friends. Currently, the number of customers coming to the restaurant is lower than before, and the working atmosphere has also become more stressful. The fact that the cafe belongs to Israelis but the staff are mostly Palestinians and that part of the profits will go to the Israeli army makes the Palestinian employees feel wary.
Ahmad also said that this cafe once opened a store in a Palestinian residential area but had to close after being attacked.