In a bittersweet turn of events, Kanaan, a beloved Israeli-Palestinian restaurant in Berlin, will be closing its doors in the coming months. Conceived as an “island of peace” in the German capital, the decade-old establishment has become a symbol of dining across religious and political divides.
The restaurant’s co-owners, Oz Ben David, an Israeli, and Jalil Dabit, a Palestinian, have announced that Kanaan will likely shut down in March due to a combination of economic factors, German bureaucracy, and the fraught political environment. However, their dream will live on in the form of a television series that will delve into the challenges faced by the two protagonists.
Dubbed “Breaking the Binary,” the politically charged “dramedy” will echo the success of the hit US series “The Bear,” set in a hectic restaurant kitchen. The German production company Traumfabrik Baabelsberg has assembled a diverse team, including author and journalist Mirna Funk, Arab-Israeli actor Yousef Sweid, and screenwriter and director Thomas Mielmann, to bring the story to life.
Kanaan, which means “Canaan” in German, was founded in 2015 and boasted a multi-ethnic team, serving up remixed specialities like shakshuka lasagne. Its slogan, “Make Hummus Not War,” encapsulated its mission of promoting unity and understanding across religious and political divides.
The 120-seat restaurant became a neighbourhood mainstay and a powerful symbol of dining across these divides. In late 2023, Germany’s President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, invited the owners to his Berlin palace to discuss ways to address the tensions sparked locally by the conflict in the Middle East.
However, the restaurant’s premises were ransacked in 2024 after it hosted a queer Jewish-Muslim brunch, and the owners have faced persistent anonymous threats. Despite these challenges, Berlin’s mayor, Kai Wegner, visited Kanaan in a show of support, calling the restaurant “exemplary” in its efforts to conquer seemingly intractable divisions.
Oz Ben David and Jalil Dabit have expressed mixed emotions about the closure, describing it as “bittersweet.” While they are saddened to see the physical restaurant close, they are excited about the television series, which they are helping to shape with input on the writing and character development.
“It’s no longer (just) a story of Israelis and Palestinians but about people who disagree and still can dream and envision something together,” Ben David said. “Hopefully, we will reach more hearts.”
The closure of Kanaan marks the end of an era, but the owners’ message of mutual understanding and unity will live on through the upcoming television series and a Germany-wide cooking tour. As they bid farewell to their physical restaurant, they are embracing a new beginning, determined to spread their vision of harmony in a divided world.
