In Search of the “Jeem” – No. 8 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.

Is Cucumber a Fruit?

Our adventures with fruits and vegetables in Algeria provided us with many amusing stories. On one occasion, we walked into a juice shop in Algiers and asked for carrot juice. The shopkeeper froze, staring at me in silence for a full minute before replying, visibly perplexed: “Carrots are vegetables… we only serve fruit juice here!”

Of course, he was right. But coming from Iran, where carrot juice is common—whether pure or blended with apple or orange juice—and often served with ice cream, the request seemed perfectly natural to us. In fact, carrot juice is immensely popular in Iran, especially in the summer, with a flavor and freshness that no other drink can rival.

Recently, however, I came across an article advising against drinking carrot juice, arguing that the juicing process discards the fibers—the very part of the carrot packed with health benefits. Yet for me, the matter went beyond nutrition. In my ongoing quest to master Algerian Arabic and “become Algerian,” I even tried to find the Algerian “jeem” sound in the word jazar (carrot), but with no success!

Slowly, I began to adapt to Algerian habits. I recalled how, in our early days here, we were astonished to see dates displayed in fruit shops, while cucumbers were sold strictly as vegetables. In Iran, however, cucumbers are considered fruits and are served alongside apples, oranges, and bananas. This custom often surprises outsiders. Once, when we hosted friends at our home, their astonishment was evident when they saw cucumbers placed on the fruit tray; they couldn’t resist asking about it. For context, Iranian cucumbers are smaller and slimmer than the large, salad-type cucumbers commonly found in Algeria—another example of how cultural practices and daily habits diverge.

Another curious difference lies in how dates are perceived. Algerians rightfully classify dates as fruits, while in Iran, though dates are abundant and varied—we are, according to some global statistics, the world’s third-largest exporter of dates—we rarely purchase them from fruit shops. Instead, there are specialized stores for dates and honey.

Yet, I must confess: ever since I discovered Algeria’s “Deglet Nour” dates, all other varieties have faded from memory. Their taste captivated me completely, especially when candied. I grew so fond of them that during my first vacation back to Iran, I brought a large supply with me, eager to share them with family and friends.

At Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran, however, a customs officer stopped me, eyeing the boxes with suspicion. Half-joking, he asked: “So, have you started exporting Algerian dates to Iran?” Smiling, I replied: “Not quite. I’ve brought nourishment for both body and soul.” I then pointed to the large stack of books I had also carried from the Algiers Book Fair—a collection of revolutionary memoirs, stories of freedom fighters, and works on Algeria’s martyrs and leaders, all destined for translation into Persian.

I still wonder: which is sweeter, those books—with their lofty human values—or the peerless Deglet Nour dates of Algeria? Perhaps the answer is to savor both at once: to taste the dates while turning the pages, uniting two sweetnesses—one for the soul, the other for the palate.

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.