Golda Meir drank coffee here and so did Shimon Peres. The Ta’amon is one of the oldest cafés in Jerusalem and it is world famous. It has been a meeting place for political activists, artists, politicians and the literati. Israel and its development have been fervidly debated here – in the past as well as today. The café is history in a microcosm. Established in 1936, a Jewish family took it over again in the 60s. Together with Hamis, a Muslim, they cater for their guests day after day. The director precisely documents their everyday life. He shows the bistro, its owners and guests. He moves away from them to investigate stories and comes back again – to Ta’amon. A record of contemporary history. Katrin John