Holding Onto the Light
The Story Behind the Shoresh Body & Soul Candle
If you received the June Lev Haolam box, you’ve already encountered a small piece of Nicole Yehezkel’s world.
Perhaps you’ve lit the candle she created. Perhaps you’ve admired it on a shelf or set it aside for a quiet evening at home. Like many of the products featured in Lev Haolam boxes, it is easy to appreciate the craftsmanship without immediately realizing the story behind it.
But behind that candle stands a remarkable journey – one that stretches from Miami to the hills of Samaria, from military service to natural healing, and from personal curiosity to a business that has touched lives around the world.
Nicole is the founder of Shoresh Body & Soul, a wellness company based in the community of Neve Tzuf in the Binyamin region of Samaria. Her products are inspired by nature, rooted in holistic healing, and deeply connected to the land she now calls home. Yet the path that led her there was anything but predictable.
From Miami to the Hills of Samaria
Nicole did not grow up imagining she would one day live in Samaria.
Raised in Miami, she made Aliyah in 2005 and moved to Israel as a young woman seeking something deeper. The transition was dramatic. She left behind a familiar life and found herself adapting to an entirely new culture, language, and reality.
“It was scary to move from Miami to the middle of nowhere,” she recalls.
Soon afterward, she enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces as a lone soldier and served in a combat unit. During her military service, she was stationed in Samaria and became familiar with the region’s mountains, valleys, and communities.
What began as an assignment gradually became something more personal.
She fell in love with the land.
After completing her service, Nicole lived in several different parts of Israel, including communities near the Kinneret and the city of Tzfat. Yet over time, she found herself drawn back to the hills of Samaria.
Eventually she settled in Neve Tzuf, where she would build her family, her community, and ultimately her business.
Today, when she speaks about the region, she doesn’t describe it merely as a place to live. She speaks about it with affection, pride, and a profound sense of belonging.
Discovering a Different Kind of Calling
Nicole’s journey into natural wellness began after the birth of her son.
Like many young mothers, she became interested in finding natural ways to support the health and well-being of her family. That interest led her to study naturopathy, aromatherapy, medicinal herbs, and holistic wellness practices.
At first, everything she learned was for personal use.
She experimented with essential oils, studied medicinal plants, and used what she was learning to help her own children when they weren’t feeling well. Over time, friends and neighbors began asking questions. Community members sought advice. What started as casual conversations slowly evolved into something more significant.
Each question became an opportunity to learn.
Each person she helped expanded her understanding.
Eventually, Nicole realized that what had begun as a personal interest had become a genuine calling.
In 2016, she founded Shoresh Body & Soul.
The name itself reveals much about her philosophy.
The Hebrew word “Shoresh” means root.
For Nicole, roots represent both the source of healing and her connection to Israel. They symbolize looking beneath the surface, searching for causes rather than symptoms, and understanding that lasting wellness begins at a deeper level.
The phrase Body & Soul reflects another belief that guides her work:
True healing cannot separate the physical from the emotional or spiritual.
As she explains, one cannot be treated without considering the other.
More Than a Business
One of the most striking aspects of Nicole’s story is the way she talks about helping people.
She avoids grand titles and does not describe herself as a healer. In fact, she is hesitant to use the term at all.
Yet throughout the years, many women have turned to her for support, particularly in areas related to anxiety, stress, and emotional well-being.
What motivates her is not professional recognition.
It is compassion.
“I see so much suffering in the world and I just want to help lessen it,” she explains.
That desire influences every aspect of her work.
The products she creates are not simply designed to smell pleasant or look beautiful. They are intended to encourage moments of calm, reflection, and balance. They invite people to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and create space for peace in the middle of busy lives.
In a world that often feels rushed and overwhelming, there is something powerful about a product created with that intention.
Perhaps that is why so many people connect with Nicole’s work. They sense that there is something deeper behind it.
Not just a business. A mission.
Building Life With Purpose
Living in Samaria has never been the easiest choice.
The region frequently appears in international headlines. Security concerns arise from time to time. There have been incidents nearby, including attacks on roads and fires that threatened surrounding areas.
Yet when Nicole speaks about life there, fear is not the dominant theme. Purpose is.
She describes Neve Tzuf as a place of strong community, natural beauty, and meaningful living. Families know one another. Children grow up surrounded by open spaces. The hills are rich with Jewish history and biblical significance.
For Nicole, living there represents more than personal preference.
It is an expression of commitment.
She believes deeply in maintaining a Jewish presence in the region and in helping communities continue to thrive there.
That conviction has only strengthened over time.
“Living here is meaningful because you live with a purpose,” she explains.
Those words capture something important about many Lev Haolam producers.
They are not simply building businesses. They are building lives in places they care deeply about.
The Connection Behind the Candle
Nicole has worked with Lev Haolam for many years, and she speaks warmly about the relationship.
Like many small producers, she remembers the early days of her business clearly. At the beginning, she was creating products with handwritten labels and limited resources. Over time, steady support allowed her to grow, improve, and professionalize her operation.
Yet when she talks about Lev Haolam, she rarely focuses on sales numbers.
Instead, she talks about people.
She talks about receiving messages from supporters around the world.
She talks about the excitement of realizing that someone thousands of miles away is using a product she created with her own hands.
Most importantly, she talks about connection.
One observation she shared during her interview beautifully captures the heart of the Lev Haolam experience:
“I’m putting my energy into the product, and they accept it. That exchange of energy transcends the material products.”
That idea may explain why so many subscribers feel connected to the people behind their boxes.
The products themselves are meaningful. But the stories behind them make them unforgettable.
The Light Inside the Candle
The June box centered around the theme of the Priestly Blessing – a blessing of protection, grace, and peace that has accompanied the Jewish people for generations.
Few products reflected that theme more naturally than Nicole’s candle.
For centuries, candles have held a special place in Jewish life. They welcome Shabbat, illuminate holidays, and create moments of quiet reflection within busy homes. Their purpose extends far beyond providing light. They help shape atmosphere, encourage presence, and remind us to pause.
Nicole’s candle continues that tradition.
Not simply because it is handcrafted.
Not simply because it smells wonderful.
But because it was created by someone whose life has been dedicated to helping others find balance, healing, and connection.
When subscribers received the Shoresh Body & Soul candle, they received more than a beautifully made product from Israel.
They received a small piece of Nicole’s story.
A story of leaving home to build a new life.
A story of putting down roots in the hills of Samaria.
A story of turning compassion into purpose.
And ultimately, a story about choosing to bring light into the world – and helping others do the same.
