A Fresh Approach to Fighting the Anti-Israel Boycott (BDS) – Introducing Lev Haolam
Monthly Package Project Creates Bond Between Jewish Heartland Pioneers and their Global Supporters
About 4 years ago, Nati Rom, a resident of the Esh Kodesh yishuv, near Shiloh, decided to take up the fight against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. “We saw that there were no efforts using the story of Judea and Samaria to combat the boycott movement, which is working so hard against us,” Nati said. Nati’s practical response to the boycott was to buy products from small retailers on Israel’s front-lines, in Judea and Samaria, who suffer from the international boycotts and to help them market their products around the world.
Lev Haolam markets the products through its Monthly Package Project. Subscribers who sign up for the Monthly Package Project receive a package, delivered to their home or destination of choice, every month from Israel. Four years after its inception, Lev Haolam has established a large international following and continues to attract new subscribers to its Monthly Package Project.
Currently, Lev Haolam places the largest amount of orders for goods produced in Judea and Samaria. Lev Haolam’s (Monthly Package Project) subscribers come from dozens of countries including Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Singapore, Australia, and the United States. Subscribers who partner with Lev Haolam receive a beautiful package every month; a package filled with products made by families and small businesses in Judea and Samaria.
Chagit Shechter
Chagit Shechter, of Happy Designs is one of many suppliers for Lev Haolam. About working with Lev Haolam, Chagit said, “I started working with Lev Haolam a few years ago and we started with making a hundred, maybe 200 items… it helps me economically and I think that things have been growing.”
Jo Zander, an American Oleh and chocolatier, who is a Lev Haolam supplier said, “Lev Haolam contacted us a couple years ago, that they wanted to place our chocolate in their baskets… The part that’s been really great for us is that people in America have become aware of our chocolate. I always ask them [Americans], how is it that you even know about our chocolates and they say, we get it in the gift basket from Lev Haolam… and so I really appreciate that they were the first ones to bring us into America.”
What’s Inside The Monthly Packages?
Inside each monthly package, Lev Haolam subscribers receive approximately 6 to 8 unique items that are produced by families and small businesses operating within the Judean and Samarian regions; families and small businesses who have have been boycotted by the international community. The products in each package vary every month, but can include organic food products such as honey, tea, wine, oils, chocolates, spices, dried fruits and vegetables (many of which are organic), cosmetics, Judaica items, jewelry, decorative-handmade artisan crafts, various household items, and much more.
You can read about some of the Lev Haolam suppliers at their Meet the Pioneers page.
Lev Haolam also fights BDS through other means. “We started a grassroots movement which includes thousands of supporters around the world. We have held pro-Israel demonstrations in many locations, including Miami, Germany, Finland, Singapore and Sweden” Nati recounted. “If they boycott, we will just buy more. If they spread hate, we will spread love.”
You can learn more about Lev Haolam at their website, www.levhaolam.com. You can also reach a Lev Haolam representative by sending them an email, at [email protected] or by calling 02-645-5424 (office hours are 10am-6pm Sunday–Thursday).
