In Search of the “Jeem” – No. 5 by Dr. Mohammad Reza Zaeiri

 ✍️ By: Dr. Mohammad Reza ZAEIRI,
Cultural Counselor at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Translated into English by: Dr. Hana Saada  

Dr. Mohammad Reza Zaeiri: A Distinguished Voice in Religious Media and Cultural Diplomacy

Dr. Mohammad Reza Zaeiri is a renowned academic specializing in religious media, Islamic philosophy, and interfaith (Islamic-Christian) dialogue. As a prolific author and eminent literary figure, he has penned over thirty works encompassing literature, translation, creative writing, and narrative arts—several of which have been translated into major foreign languages, including English and French.

With a distinguished media career spanning more than a quarter of a century, Dr. Zaeiri has established an enduring reputation in the journalistic world. He has founded numerous periodicals and magazines and served as editor-in-chief of several prominent newspapers, most notably Hamshahri (¹), the largest Persian-language daily in the world.

His influence extends well beyond journalism. A committed cultural figure, Dr. Zaeiri has made significant contributions to the fields of film and television production. He is also a leading figure in the publishing sector, having established an independent media house that has continuously issued a monthly magazine for the past 23 years.

His most recent intellectual endeavor, “In Search of the Jeem” (2), marks a new milestone in his ongoing creative exploration. This reflective series, published regularly in Al-Ayam News (Arabic) and jeune-independant.net (French), chronicles his current tenure as Iran’s Cultural Counselor in Algeria. In these writings, Dr. Zaeiri  (3) offers a deeply personal and poetic meditation on identity, belonging, and the enduring cultural bonds that unite Iran and Algeria.

Today, Dzair Tube is proud to present the English edition of this compelling series—meticulously translated from both the Arabic and French originals.

French Bread or Syrian Bread? 

One of our very first preoccupations upon arriving in Algiers was finding a type of bread that resembled Iranian bread. The classic French baguette — immensely popular in Algeria — simply did not suit our tastes. So we set off exploring the local bakeries in search of something more traditional.

Eventually, we discovered that Algerian bakeries offered an unexpected array of delightful pastries. However, when it came to bread, their selections did not quite meet our expectations. Later on, we found that Syrian or Lebanese bread — with its familiar flavor profile more akin to that of Iranian bread — could be purchased in some local supermarkets. Still, our preference leaned strongly toward bread made using traditional methods.

In Iran, bakeries — or Nânvâyi — are specialized establishments dedicated exclusively to the art of breadmaking. They offer a rich array of bread types: Sangak, baked on hot stones; Taftân, a round bread cooked in a traditional oven; Barbari, long and thick; and Lavash, thin and crisp. Each has its own character, texture, and story.

In recent years, a European-style bread known as “pain fantaisie” has gained popularity in larger Iranian cities. But in smaller towns and rural areas, time-honored baking traditions still reign. In many households, bread is made at home, and its variety often reflects the unique identity of each region.

Eventually, to our delight, we stumbled upon a bakery that made Syrian bread — what joy to finally find it! However, just as we thought our quest had ended happily, another obstacle arose at checkout. Though the baker spoke Arabic fluently, he gave me the price in French.

What truly caught me off guard, though, was the way he announced the price in Arabic: “one hundred dinars” somehow turned into “ten thousand.” I couldn’t grasp the magnitude of the sum and had to ask him to show it to me on the screen. Zeroes began multiplying before my eyes, inflating the price of a single loaf from mere tens to thousands — even to millions!

With no choice but to surrender, I emptied my pockets onto the counter and let the baker take what was owed. From that moment on, every transaction became a challenge. I began asking vendors to input the price into a calculator and show it to me — in Algerian dinars — to avoid any further misunderstandings.

That said, I must highlight something quite remarkable. In this deeply faithful and kind-hearted society, I encountered a level of commercial integrity that was beyond admirable: foreigners are treated with fairness and absolute parity, with no trace of opportunism or exploitation.

Since settling in Algeria, not once has a vendor charged me more than the true price of an item. In fact, on several occasions, I intentionally gave more than the exact amount — a kind of subtle test to see if they would return the proper change. And without exception, they did.

It bears repeating: the honesty of Algerian merchants is something I experienced firsthand. Even when I sought to test their scrupulousness during routine purchases, offering extra dinars to see if the change would be rounded in their favor, they always returned the correct amount.

Trust soon became the default mode of my daily interactions. Their honesty seemed so intrinsic that I stopped even checking the change I was given. It simply became unnecessary.

On this note, I once read a touching story about a municipal collector who, demonstrating extraordinary integrity, returned a substantial sum of money — nearly twenty thousand euros — to its rightful owner. The temptation to keep such an amount did not sway his moral compass. Though that money could have helped him fulfill personal ambitions, he chose honesty over gain.

From this experience, I came to appreciate just how different Algerian bakeries and confectioneries are from those in Iran. In my homeland, we have Qanadi — often small, artisanal shops specializing in sweets. They offer a wide range of confections, from the most traditional to the most inventive.

In comparison, Algerian pâtisserie is like a continent of flavors unto itself — so rich and diverse that it deserves a dedicated exploration. For now, let us simply say this: it is absolutely worth discovering.

Endnotes

1. Hamshahri (in Persian: همشهری) is a major Iranian daily newspaper founded in 1990. The name means “fellow citizen” or “co-dweller” in Persian. It is the largest Persian-language newspaper in the world.

2. Jeem (ج) is the fifth letter of the Arabic alphabet and holds the phonetic value of the “j” sound in English. In this context, it symbolizes the moral and symbolic bridge between the author’s identity and his host country, Algeria.

3. Zaeiri (الزائري) is the author’s surname. When the letter “Jeem” (ج) is added, it becomes Jazaeiri (الجزائري), meaning “Algerian” in Arabic. This clever linguistic play underpins the philosophical theme of identity and belonging that permeates the text.