Intensive Arabic Semester

You might find that the kibbutz is a difficult place to study. If this is the case, then you might want to check out some of the local coffee shops. In addition to being a great place to study, a few of them are located in or outside Arab villages and can be great places to practice your Arabic. Here is a list of a few coffee shops that are located close to the kibbutz as well as directions to the coffee shops. All have free wifi. You’ll find that these coffee shops often serve a diverse community of both Jews and Arabs.

Café Café
Café Café is located in the Jewish town of Pardes Hanna. Take a right out of the kibbutz and a left at the junction. Take a right at the second traffic light. At the third roundabout take a left. Café Café is an Israeli chain. It has typical coffee shop food (cakes, cookies, sandwiches, soups, salads). Café Café is usually quiet and is very good for studying.

Shmonim
Shmonim is located right on route 65. Take a right out of the kibbutz and a left at the junction. Go two stoplights and Shmonim will be on your left. You can take a left there, so take a right at the stop light and turn around and then go straight across, or you can u-turn up ahead. Shmonim’s coffee shop is located at the far right of all the buildings, next to the gas station. The waiters and waitresses are a mix of Arabs and Jews so you might be able to speak Arabic, maybe not. The owners of Shmonim are Arabs. They have a nice semi-outdoor seating area.

Cantaré
Cantaré is located in Gan Shmuel. There are actually two Cantarés in Gan Shmuel. Take a right out of the kibbutz and a left at the junction. At the fifth stoplight take a right into Gan Shmuel. Turn left into the shopping center on your left. If you go left once you’re in the shopping center, there is a Cantaré near the McDonald’s. That Cantaré is more of a coffee shop with baked goods. If you go right once you enter the shopping center, there is a Cantaré that is more of a restaurant, but also has all of the coffee stuff. Both have nice outdoor seating areas.

Aroma Coffee
Aroma Coffee is an Israeli chain of coffee shops. This Aroma coffee is located in Kfar Kara so almost all the employees are Arabs. They are always happy to speak Arabic with you so practice your Arabic ordering skills here. To get to Aroma, take a right out of the kibbutz and a right at the junction. Go straight and you will see the Aroma Coffee shop on your left after the gas station. Take a left into the entrance of Kfar Kara and then an immediate right into the “shopping center.” Go all the way to the end of the buildings, the Aroma coffee is the last one.