With the Jewish festival of love, Tu B’av, still several months away, some may find Valentine’s Day (February 14) to be the perfect excuse to spoil that special loved one in their life. And now you can find that perfect gift while also supporting Israeli small businesses through Jewish National Fund-USA’s Online Mitzvah Marketplace (jnf.org/shopping).
With so many items from leading Israeli artisans based in the Galilee and Negev Desert to choose from, the team at Jewish National Fund-USA is here to help! Below are our top five gifts that we think the special people in your life will love this Valentine’s Day.
#1 A box of love from Yonat Midbar
Yonat Midbar (Credit: JNF-USA)A beautiful gift box sure to aid your Valentine’s Day relaxation, Yonat’s box features two handmade natural soaps, decorated with natural materials and scented with pure essential oils; natural massage oil for a healing, relaxing, and romantic massage; and natural rose-shaped beeswax candle sourced from local beekeepers.
Honey (Credit: JNF-USA)Celebrate a loved one with a special sweet package filled with unique, hand-selected products, made with love in the Western Galilee. Perfect to treat yourself or loved ones! This package includes three varieties of honey from the Ofir Farm, a handmade wooden honey stick, and a holiday greeting card from Western Galilee Now.
#3 Ultimate Chocolate lover’s package
Chocolate (Credit: JNF-USA)Odette is a special boutique for handmade chocolates and pralines opened by Dr. Shlomit Zamir at Kibbutz Regba. This package includes handmade chocolate bars, “cat tongues,” “Mekupelet” (thinly folded chocolate), nougat, caramelized almonds coated in milk and dark chocolate, English toffees, and other goodies that you can enjoy with that special someone in your life.
#4 Handmade iron rose with hand-painted detail
Rose (Credit: JNF-USA)To forge his one-of-a-kind iron roses, award-winning blacksmith Walied Khoury heats his iron up to 2,500 degrees, before molding it into a beautiful and unique Valentine’s Day gift. A resident of Fassuta village in Israel’s north, his work has received several awards in England and Italy, where his creations are on display in different museums. At Walied’s gallery in Fassuta you can hear his story, see a variety of ironworks and furniture he makes, and watch a demonstration of his blacksmithing skills.
#5 Illuminate your love with hand-painted candles
Candle (Credit: JNF-USA)Perhaps these hand-painted candles by artisan Rotem Peretz of Kibbutz Sde Boker are exactly what you’re after. The kibbutz, famous for being the home of Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, only adds to the unique story behind these candles, which will add to the ambiance of any romantic night in.
