Interview (in 2003) with current owner Daher Zeidani from Nazareth

 

About the name JAN'S:

It was originally called Jan's Tea Gallery, named after sculptor and poet Jan Van Holten who established the place in Ein Kerem. Jan was born Protestant in Holland and moved to Israel in 1963. He later converted to Judaism. I grew up in Nazareth in a Muslim family, and came to Jerusalem in 1972 to study. I began working at JAN's in 1975 as a waiter. When we relocated to the current location, the name was shortened to "JAN'S". Jan left Israel and returned to Holland in 1983. He died just 2 years ago in January 2001.

About the design:

The design is Jan's vision. Before '67, before Jews could go to the Old City of Jerusalem, Jan was able to back and forth to Jordan because he was a European Christian. He was a pioneer of sorts, living in Israel and at the same time able to meet the inaccessible world of the east. The encounter significantly influenced his aesthetic sense. He especially loved fabrics, gold and velvet, and he decorated his living room with in a way that west meets east in perfect harmony. His house became a meeting place where many friends gathered on Friday nights and one day he decided to create the tea house - a replica of his living room for the public.

 

About the atmoshere and music:

Lighting, music...Every detail including even how the placement of chairs is not random and people remember JAN's even thirty years later. Each evening is a journey through moods and music, total immersion for the eyes, ears and soul, passing through different forms of music that Jan set into place. It begins serious and heavy - classical, vocal, church music, ancient English choir music, Gregorian chanting or Beethoven. Then to the likes of Vivaldi. Then Baroque, and finally ends with jazz, blues or world music. Sometimes we put on Billy Holiday, Nina Simone and Louis Armstrong. Jan often closed the evening with popular music from the 60's and 70's. When there are few people present we put on music that requires attentive listening. When more people arrive we will put on music that is lighter, that requires less attention.

 

About the clientele:

One of the most special things about Jan's is the mix of people. There are Jews, Arabs, foreigners, young, the elderly, religious, secular, straight, gays.

 

Customer's favorite foods:

Banana pancake with dulce de leche (ribat chalav in Hebrew) and apple pie.

 

Customer's favorite drink:

Hot wine with spices.

 

Owner's favorite food:

The Arabic salad with our whole wheat bread with flax, squash and sesame seeds.

 

History of the building before it was JAN'S:

Storage for the theatre's restaurant. Originally it was to be one of the theatre's entrances.