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The essence of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, is divine forgiveness. At the heart of this biblical holy day is the amazing fact that the God of Israel loves His people and gives them a way to atone for their sins. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks once described Yom Kippur as “the supreme day of forgiveness.”

I received my first Lev Haolam surprise box, directly from Israel, and what a fun experience I had opening the package. Lev HaOlam is an organization based in Israel that supports small and family-owned businesses in Judea and Samaria. Their goal is to help these small businesses thrive, in spite of the Boycott, Sanction, and Divestment movement (BDS). Each month they mail out a surprise package that contains 7 – 9 items made by producers in Judea and Samaria. The packages contain items like organic honey, olive oil, Israeli wine, unique hand made art, jewelry, natural cosmetics, bath and body...

Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria are left reeling with shock as Israel declassifies the results of its recent investigation into a Palestinian terror network. Not only were Palestinian terror cells masterminding murderous plots, but their funding and chain of command came directly from Iran and Hezbollah. It doesn’t bear thinking what would have happened if Israeli security services had not thwarted their deadly plans. The joint investigation carried out by the IDF and ISA (Israeli Security Agency) began when Israel discovered that a Palestinian terrorist called Yazen Abu Salah was plotting an attack. The Israeli team learnt that Abu...

Shavuot is one of the richest and most joyous of the biblical feasts. Yet many people don’t understand the full significance of this holiday and miss out on the awesome treasures it contains. Here are just some of the fascinating facts you may not know about Shavuot: 1. The main biblical character associated with Shavuot wasn’t born a Jew During Shavuot, it’s traditional to read the Book of Ruth – a biblical love story centred around the Shavuot harvest. Ruth, the beautiful Moabitess, aligns herself with the God of Israel and accompanies her Jewish mother-in-law back to the Promised Land....

Many of you have been in touch to ask how the producers and small businesses that Lev Haolam supports are coping during this pandemic. Thank you so much for your concern and all the words of encouragement. The truth is that these are devastating times for the whole world, and Israel is no exception. Israel is now in its third week of national lockdown. The only stores permitted to open are supermarkets and pharmacies. Many businesses across the country have already collapsed and the unemployment rate is soaring. The artisans and producers that Lev Haolam supports are no longer able...

The Novel Coronavirus Moves Across the World with Lightning Speed The Novel Coronavirus emerged slowly and lent a feeling of unease that has snowballed over the past month. We have all watched in horror as stock markets have plummeted, country after country has fallen into the grip of this highly contagious virus, overtaxing medical infrastructure and most painfully causing the loss of life. Governments the world over are responding with stricter, more draconian measures, and people find themselves feeling afraid, lonely, and helpless. The Israeli people have responded to this global health crisis in a uniquely Jewish way. Jewish tradition...

On the one hand, Purim, that commemorates a narrow escape of Persian Jews from the death sentence 2,500 years ago, fits perfectly into the regular scheme of a Jewish holiday: ‘They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.’ On the other hand, there is some sharp contrast between Purim and other Jewish holidays, like Pessach or Chanukkah. The latter are about Jews escaping death, too, but there were miracles happening there: The division of the Red Sea, or the light of the Menorah that lasted eight days instead of one. In the story of Purim we do not see...

This week’s portion of the Torah deals with God’s detailed instructions to Mozes on how to build the Tabernacle – a portable sanctuary where the Almighty could dwell while the Israelites were travelling in the desert after they left Egypt. The chapter opens with His commandment to all of the Israelites to contribute materials needed for the building of the Tabernacle. The phrasing of the commandment, however, is weird: It is said “take for Me a contribution”, not “give Me a contribution”. Why “take” instead of “give”? It is known that wording in the Torah is never arbitrary; every letter,...

We recently shared the story of Lev Haolam packages being tampered with during their transit to customers in the US. It was clear from the photos and reports we received from around 100 different subscribers that the damage was significant and must have been due to either extreme negligence or deliberate sabotage, possibly motivated by BDS. We now want to give you an update on the situation. It’s important to reiterate just how disappointed we were that this situation arose in the first place. We have always been extremely vigilant to ensure the safe arrival of all our packages, and...

Every culture has its own little quirks and idiosyncrasies. What’s amazing about Israel is how a country that’s less than 75 years old and includes immigrants from all over the world has such a strong and unified cultural identity. Here are 6 fascinating facts about Israeli culture: 1) The Israeli population is one of the most educated in the world According to a recent report, Israel is the third most educated country in the world. More than half of Israeli adults between the ages of 25 and 64 have completed a higher-education degree. This is more than nearly any other...

Located in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, the Western Wall is the holiest site in Judaism. It is the only remaining wall from the ancient Jewish Temple, where G-d’s Presence is still believed to dwell. For many centuries, Jewish pilgrims have travelled up to Jerusalem to pray at this sacred site and anyone who visits the Western Wall plaza can’t help but experience a sense of awe. Here are some fascinating, lesser-known facts about the Western Wall: 1. The Western Wall that we see today was built in 20 BCE by King Herod when he expanded the...

During the week of Oct 13th – 18th, Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel, welcomed over five thousand Christians, from over one hundred different countries, who had traveled to Israel to join the celebration of Sukkot with their Jewish friends in the holy city. In keeping with the biblical prophecy from Zechariah 14:12, “Then everyone who survives of all of the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths,” thirty-nine years ago a passionate group of Christians with a love for...

Anyone who has visited Israel during Sukkot will have been struck by the decorative tent-like structures that appear in gardens, public spaces, balconies and just about everywhere else! These ‘sukkot’ or booths are full of biblical significance, and for a week they become centers of feasting and fellowship as Israelis celebrate Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot is the third and final ‘Fall feast,’ taking place five days after Yom Kippur on the 15th of Tishrei in the Jewish calendar (sometime late September / October in the Gregorian calendar). The holiday lasts for seven days and seven nights. During Temple...

When people think of Yom Kippur—or the Day of Atonement—the first thought that normally comes to mind is fasting. But the truth is there’s so much more to this incredible Jewish holy day than just going without food. Yom Kippur is the second of the ‘Fall Feasts,’ following ten days after Rosh HaShanah (Jewish New Year). It takes place on the tenth day of the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, which falls sometime in September / October in the Gregorian calendar. In Temple times, Yom Kippur was the day when the children of Israel made sacrifices to atone for...

1. Studies show that there are olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane dating back 900 years, making them some of the oldest living olive trees in the world.2. When Neil Armstrong visited Jerusalem, he said: ‘I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon.’ 3. Jewish people around the world face Jerusalem to pray. 4. Between 1948 and 1967 when the Old City of Jerusalem was under Jordanian control, Jews were not allowed to access their own holiest site – the Western Wall. In 1948, the area referred to today as ‘East Jerusalem’,...

Opening your Lev HaOlam box is like opening a surprise every month – and this month is no different! At Lev HaOlam, our team goes out every month to small, family-run businesses to find the best and most exclusive products for our boxes. You can rest assured that each of the goodies in this box are hand-picked by us – and we hope you’ll love them too! Let’s take a look at some of the goodies you can expect to find in this month’s box: Granola by Mandel You haven’t tried granola until you’ve tried Mandel’s granola! What makes this...

Ever wanted to try some of the most amazing goodies from Israel — without leaving your home? Here at Lev Haolam, our mission is simple: we want to support small, family-run companies in Israel while showing the world amazing products from the Israeli heartland. Every month, we hand pack and send out more than 2,700 boxes worldwide to people who share the same vision as us. You might be wondering, what’s inside a Lev Haolam box? Although every month is different, you can expect to find 7 to 9 hand-picked items that are specially-crafted from the Israeli heartland. Your box might include food...

Every year, millions of people around the world celebrate Sukkot, which is one of Judaism’s most important holidays. The event celebrates the fall harvest, and this year was extra special because Lev HaOlam was invited to be a guest at one of the most exclusive Sukkot celebrations: the Feast of Tabernacles! Lev HaOlam’s goal for the Feast was to show everyone how they could support Israel in a fun and easy way, and we were extremely successful! Thousands of people visited our stand during the week-long event and got to see and try amazing products from the Israeli heartland. Every...

The packages sent by Lev HaOlam change each month, and contain a wide variety of goodies. Regular items include natural products, jewelry, olive oil, food products, spices, clothing and more. Each box includes numerous items sourced from Israel’s agricultural heartland, the Judea and Samaria regions which surround Jerusalem. Recent boxes have featured exquisite wine from the Har HaBracha winery situated on the biblical Mount of Blessing, delicious rich chocolate produced near the holy city of Hebron, colorful decorative napkin holders to brighten up any dining table, and many more cute gifts, snacks and pieces of jewelry. Chocolate from Holy Cacao...

Every month is a new surprise in your mailbox! We strive to curate a variety of goodies that might include food products, clothing, jewelry, books, drinks, and natural products. Each box has hand-picked items from Judea & Samaria. Thousands of years ago, these two areas were known as the historical, religious, and agricultural heartland of Israel – and that passion still exists today in the small businesses that produce the items in each Lev Haolam box. Excited to learn more? Let’s take a look at one of our recent boxes! Negohot Honey Tucked away on top of a hill, Negohot...

“We call it Judea and Samaria. It’s the biblical name of it. And we deal very straight. This is our homeland. It [our homeland] was the here for thousands of years. We don’t speak politics, we speak the truth about our history about our rights here by the Bible, by the history books.” Transcript: Reporter: Hundreds of supporters of the Jewish state from Norway Germany and Finland have just come together at a conference on how to fight back against BDS. Joining me now with more is attorney Nati Rom, the founder of Lev HaOlam, which organized this conference and...

Pictured above is IDF commander Sharone Asman speaking with soldiers stationed in the Gush Etzion region. At a ceremony in the Gush Etzion (Judea) region of Israel – in commemoration of the jubilee or 50 year anniversary of the return of the Jewish people to the Judea, Samaria, the Golan and the Jordan Valley areas of Israel – soldiers who are currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) received packages from Lev Haolam. These soldiers held senior positions in the IDF and were presented the gift packages by the Gush Etzion regional commander, Sharone Asman. The IDF specifically wanted...

by Aviva Morris | Sep 13, 2017 | blog, Company News, Israel, Judea and Samaria Man blowing the shofar-horn at the Western Wall [Photo Credit: Comunità Ebraica di Roma] The Jewish people have had a tradition, dating back thousands of years, to eat sweet foods in celebrating the start of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. (With Rosh Hashana right around the corner, we hope our partners and supporters have started to receive our special High Holiday Packages from Lev Haolam!) These sweet treats are meant to herald a wonderfully sweet New Year. In addition to eating sweet foods, we...

Lev HaOlam is looking to design a new t-shirt that relays Le HaOlam’s drive to connect the world with Israel’s Biblical Heartland. We want you to help us design it. Please leave your idea and contact information either in the comments section here, on Facebook, or in this site’s contact form. The winner will receive a special package direct from Israel.