Lev Haolam 2025 — A Year of Strength, Light & Hope
This year was not an easy one.
For many of our artisans, 2025 arrived carrying uncertainty, disruption, and loss. Workshops went quiet. Fields waited without hands to harvest them. Families were uprooted. Plans were paused. In some cases, nearly abandoned.
And yet, box by box, something steadily happened.
Through every shipment, every order placed, every message of encouragement, our subscribers became a source of stability, dignity, and quiet hope for our artisans. Each Lev Haolam box was more than a package. It was a lifeline. A reminder that these artisans were seen, valued, and not alone.
As challenges mounted, so did our community. Not louder. Stronger. More connected. More certain of why this work matters.
This is the story of that year.
The Numbers That Matter
It’s easy to skim numbers.
It’s more meaningful to sit with what they actually mean.
In 2025, Lev Haolam worked with 100 Israeli artisans.
That’s one hundred workshops, farms, studios, and family businesses that kept creating even when stopping would have been the understandable choice.
Over the course of the year, 20 new artisans joined the Lev Haolam community. Not because the timing was comfortable, but because they were looking for something rare: stability, consistency, and a partner they could rely on.
Every single month, an average of 42 artisan families were supported through Lev Haolam orders. That means real households. Rent covered. Salaries paid. Raw materials purchased instead of delayed. Work continuing instead of disappearing.
By the end of the year, 294,655 boxes had traveled from Israel to homes around the world. Each one carried something made by human hands, rooted in this land, and sent with intention. Nearly three hundred thousand moments of connection.
Despite the challenges, Lev Haolam maintained a 98% customer satisfaction rate. Not because the year was smooth, but because trust was honored, quality remained uncompromised, and relationships came first.
And those boxes reached subscribers in 95 different countries. Different languages. Different cultures. One shared choice: to stay connected to Israel in a tangible way.
These numbers aren’t achievements on a spreadsheet.
They are proof that consistency matters.
That showing up matters.
That people, when given the chance, choose to support one another.
Behind every number is a real person. A real family. A real story – and this year, those stories carried weight.
Artisans’ Highlights of 2025
Rebuilding After Loss: Arugot, Ofakim
Arugot was founded in 2010 by Esther Lachman, a mother with a simple goal: to create a healthier, more natural home for her children. From that instinct, an organic cosmetics company was born.
Esther and her husband, Itay, built a small factory in Ofakim. Slowly. Carefully. They grew.
Then the war came.
The Lachmans and many of their workers were evacuated from the south. Returning to their business became an act of recovery.
“Lev Haolam changed everything for us,” Itay says.
Returning to routine, to work, to purpose, was possible because someone kept ordering. Kept believing.
Expanding Against the Odds: AgroCafe, Ella Valley
AgroCafe was founded by Hanan Elkayam on a radical idea: sustainability built on trust. Rather than importing beans, AgroCafe offers Israeli agricultural expertise to farmers in developing countries.
After October 7th, growth was not guaranteed.
Yet somehow, it came.
AgroCafe expanded into an adjacent commercial space, adding a room for roasting, storage, and logistics. They launched a major new partnership with the Joint Distribution Committee, bringing Israeli know-how to impoverished farmers in Africa.
Sometimes support shows up not as applause, but as a purchase order placed at the right moment.
Saving a Harvest: Zeitei Shefa, Olive Farm
For over sixty years, Shimon Hazut has tended olive trees older than most nations. Four hundred years of roots, reaching deep into the land.
When war erupted in October, harvest season collapsed. Workers vanished. Olives remained on the trees, withering under the sun.
Then Lev Haolam placed an extraordinary order.
Five tons of oil.
Twenty-five tons of olives.
The order restored more than income. It restored faith.
A New Beginning: Ugiya, Yavne
Ugiya is the work of Tomer and Anat Shamir, a husband-and-wife team whose bakery began small, tucked between eucalyptus trees.
Today, Ugiya produces over 50 kinds of cookies and cakes, all baked in-house.
Joining Lev Haolam allowed their work to reach supporters around the world.
He describes the partnership simply: “A gift from G-d, straight from heaven.”
Product Moments of the Year
Some products are enjoyed.
Others quietly become part of everyday life.
In 2025, several items didn’t just arrive in Lev Haolam boxes – they stayed. Olive oil that became the regular bottle on the counter. An apron that was actually worn. A bowl that moved from shelf to table and stayed there.
– Har Va’Emek Olive Oil
Cold-pressed and extra virgin, this olive oil brought the fields of the Jezreel Valley into kitchens around the world. Subscribers wrote about using it for Shabbat salads, weekday meals, and even baking. It wasn’t treated as something to save. It became the oil people reached for without thinking – and that’s how you know it earned its place.
– Desert Magic Olive Paste
Made in the Negev desert by Oksana and Chami Zemach, this green olive paste carried a bright, balanced flavor that fit easily into everyday cooking. Spread on bread, stirred into dishes, or added to homemade hummus, it kept showing up in new ways. More than one subscriber admitted they tried to make the jar last just a little longer.
– Challah & Beyond Magazine & Lev Haolam Apron
These two items turned ritual into something lived. The magazine invited people to slow down, read, and try – sometimes for the first time – the rhythms of challah making. Devora Miller’s apron, printed with wheat stalks, olive branches, and the words “With Love From Israel,” became part of real kitchens. Not for display. For use.
– Amen Necklace
Designed by Arielle Kwestel and crafted by Cinamon exclusively for Lev Haolam, the Amen necklace carried its meaning quietly. Small, simple, and worn close to the heart, it spoke of faith, continuity, and the meeting point between tradition and modern life.
– Skin Whisper Balm
Created by Avigail Prince of Leaf Naturopathic, this gentle balm found its way into daily routines. Used on hands, small cuts, burns, and everyday irritations, it reflected Avigail’s belief that healing can be natural, effective, and rooted in care.
– Clara Ceramic Bowl
Hand-shaped by Ana Clara in the hills near Jerusalem and inspired by the stories of Abraham and Sarah, these ceramic bowls were made to be used, not tucked away. They brought art into everyday meals – something slow, thoughtful, and lasting.
– Herbal Teas from Adanim
Grown and blended by an intergenerational family in the Galilee, these herbal teas offered comfort that felt especially welcome this year. Warm, familiar, and deeply connected to the land, they became part of quiet evenings and shared moments.
– House Blessing by Efrat Halevi
Created in Tzfat, this house blessing traveled far beyond Israel’s borders. Written in Hebrew and English and framed with floral imagery inspired by the Galilee, it found a place on walls around the world – a steady presence wishing peace, health, and abundance.
These weren’t just the most loved items of 2025.
They were the ones people made room for.
How Subscribers Made a Difference
The impact of Lev Haolam didn’t stop at the artisans’ doors.
It continued in homes around the world – in kitchens, at family tables, and in small, joyful moments that turned a box into something personal.
Many subscribers chose to send boxes as gifts, as a way to support Israel while inviting others into the story. Others shared how receiving their box made them feel connected – not just to the products, but to the people behind them. Through prayers, messages, encouragement, and simple acts of attention, the Lev Haolam community showed up in ways that were deeply human.
Inside the Lev Haolam Family Group, these moments began to collect.
Delivery days became events – for everyone in the house.
Even the newest family members joined the excitement.
Dogs hoped for their share too.
Some moments carried tradition forward.
Others discovered something new.
The apron became part of daily life.
From across the world came simple joy.
And sometimes, it was as simple as a meal.
These moments may seem small on their own.
Together, they tell a larger story – of connection, care, and a community that chose to make Israel part of everyday life.
Behind the Scenes at Lev Haolam
While artisans were creating and boxes were traveling across the world, a great deal of work was happening quietly behind the scenes.
This year, Lev Haolam focused on strengthening the foundations that make everything else possible. Logistics were improved to ensure consistency during an unpredictable time. New partnerships were formed with producers who needed reliable support and clear communication, not uncertainty. Our content grew deeper and more intentional – with expanded blog features, magazines, and guided stories that introduced subscribers to the real faces behind each box.
We also expanded into new regions of Israel, bringing in producers whose work had not previously reached our community. Each addition was chosen carefully, with the goal of reflecting the breadth of the land and the people who continue to build their lives here.
One of the most meaningful efforts of the year focused on businesses most affected by the war, particularly along Israel’s northern border.
In that package, subscribers received rosé wine from the Odem Winery in the northern Golan Heights, near the Syrian border. A maple pecan product came from Moshav Beit Hillel, along the Lebanese border, where farmers chose to stay and continue working the land despite the danger. The praline chocolate was made in Kibbutz Ein Zivan, adjacent to Mount Hermon. Almond crackers were sourced from the factory of Kibbutz Kfar HaNasi in the Upper Galilee. A therapeutic hand cream was produced in Kibbutz Rosh HaNikra, on the Mediterranean coast along the Lebanese border – a kibbutz whose residents were forced to leave their homes for an extended period. The artistic house blessing was created by an artist from Safed, in the heart of the Galilee, near Mount Meron.
This was not a symbolic gesture.
It was practical support, delivered at the moment it was most needed.
Inside the company, Lev Haolam continued to grow as well. New team milestones were reached, systems matured, and the work became more resilient. Even in a year marked by uncertainty, life moved forward.
There were four marriages within the Lev Haolam team – moments of joy and new beginnings.
These moments matter too.
They reflect a company that is not just operating, but living – rooted, stable, and committed for the long term.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we move forward, the mission remains steady – and it is carried forward by people who choose to stay connected.
In the year ahead, Lev Haolam will continue to share the stories of producers whose work deserves to be known. We will bring more regions of Israel into view, introduce new artisans, and keep doing this work with care, integrity, and responsibility. Not quickly. Not loudly. But consistently.
Because what makes the difference isn’t a single box.
It’s the decision to remain present.
We don’t promise ease.
Thank You
If you supported Israeli artisans this year – whether by reading their stories, sending a box as a gift, or simply staying connected – thank you.
You helped carry small businesses through uncertainty.
You helped keep traditions alive in real homes.
You helped strengthen families you may never meet.
You helped protect the future of Israel in the most human way possible.
And if you’re considering joining the Lev Haolam subscription, know this:
Your choice doesn’t just send a box.
It sustains a life, a craft, and a connection that continues long after the package is opened.
