Israel’s coffee problem
There is one thing I don’t understand about Israel – it is a country populated by ambitious Jewish over-achievers (obvious night owl candidates and stressed out insomniacs) and yet you can’t find a decent cup of coffee anywhere. Everyone professes to love (or at least need) coffee, but no one seems to know a thing about drinking it. Everywhere you go are hot water urns, plastic spoons and jars of instant coffee… and that’s it.
Instant coffee?!?
A few snobbish intellectuals will even debate which brand of instant coffee is better. Unbelievable. (Instant coffee is basically just sand injected with brown food coloring and caffeine, and it makes my spine hurt).
I don’t get it, why isn’t there any good coffee in Israel? I was told that Starbucks tried to open up in Tel Aviv and it failed miserably. How could this be? Why is it that Israelis, who drink tons of the brown sap, can’t get into real coffee? Real coffee tastes better, it gives you a better a boost, it doesn’t make your spine hurt, can somebody please explain this to me?
I think Starbucks should try again, but this time they should open their first store in Jerusalem’s Old City. The Old City is crawling with expatriate Americans and tourists and I think it will do well. It may catch on and finally wake Israelis up to reality. Even if it doesn’t, at least I’ll be able to get a good cup of coffee in Israel.
7 Comments Add your own
1. Julia Sapashnik | June 29th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Rabbi Tsvi- you would make an excellent businessman. I think you should look into owning and managing a chain of Tea and Coffee stores in Israel called “Tsvi’s Teas”. Hope all is well with your family, keep on bloggin.
2. Tzvi | July 2nd, 2006 at 9:43 am
I found this. It is the other side of the Israeli coffee story. Very romantic, but I don’t think it is realistic - Israel still needs a Starbucks.
3. Elissa | July 25th, 2006 at 10:57 pm
I agree - it doesn’t make sense! They could open up right near Moshe’s schwarma, to better tickle the gustatory underbelly of creation…
Starbucks should try again, in the Old City…
4. Elissa | July 25th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
I meant Maoz’ shwarma…but y’all knew what I meant.
5. Leyzer | November 25th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I don’t know what you are talking about. I found a lot of cafes in Jerusalem where you can get great brewed coffee and espresso in all sorts of varieties (and kosher, of course). I don’t know where outside of Israel you can get “Kafe hafuch.” Really, I think you need to try looking harder. I’m guessing Starbucks failed because the coffee drinkers already knew where the good coffee shops are.
6. tzvi | November 25th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Oo Leyzer, I think we may have a fundamental disagreement here (and I am not a fan of “Kafe Hafuch” at all). I tried all the main places in Jerusalem and I was disappointed every time. The American brands – Starbucks, Pete’s, Green Mountain, heck even the stuff in the bagel place in Boston, all blow the Israeli “coffee” away. Nes, the black mud, “filter” coffee – it just really upsets me – give me a good cup of brewed coffee and I’ll stop complaining. I go to Jerusalem all the time – just one place where I can get away from the “instant brown sand” and the mud and I’ll be a believer for life – I’ll even stop talking smack – just one, help me out – I am begging!
7. Leyzer | November 26th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
I certainly haven’t been to most coffee places in Yerushalayim. However, I know the following places to have good coffee:
The Coffee Bean, located on Yafo Street across from Kikar Tsion.
Cafe Hillel, located on King George Street.
Ma’afe Ne’eman, located at King George Street and Yafo Street.
I’m sure there’s others. I also remember a nice cafe on Yafo Street somewhere between King George and Davidka Square run by French folks, but I don’t remember the exact location or name. In general, I think if you ask around among the local Israelis you will find more.
I’m not sure the idea of a Starbucks in the Old City sits well with me. Probably, that’s because when I’m in Israel, I try very hard to stay away from things that remind me of America. It’s like, if I’m going to go through all the time, trouble and expense to go to Israel, I want it to FEEL like I’m in Israel, not like I’m back in galus in America, you know? But I suppose if I lived in Israel for a long time, after a while I might start wanting things that reminded me of “home”.
Zayt gezunt!
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