“I support Israel!” These words have been said by people around the world since the conflict in Israel began. The question is how to actually interpret the words, “I stand with Israel.''
Are they just words or do they mean more? In 2015, the European Union announced new regulations for products produced in the Biblical heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria (West Bank). Their guidelines expressed the outrageous belief that the Biblical heartland was not part of Israel and that products produced there could not be labeled as “Made in Israel.”
For some, the European Union's actions in 2015 were just words. Rhetoric rehashed from the pages of history books. But for some, these words were a rallying cry.
Buy to Fight Boycott Israel
When Steve Warap, a successful engineer from Texas, heard the EU ruling, he decided this was his fight. He is well aware of the history of the Holocaust, and that the boycotts, sanctions, and relabeling of Jewish products in Judea were the first step in a horrific reenactment of the anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism of 1930s Europe. It was determined that He quit his job in 2016 and went to Israel to find a way to effectively side with Israel.
Weap and his eldest son met with small family business owners and artists from across Judea and Samaria to discuss ways to bring their products to international markets outside of Israel. That was eight years ago. Today, their company, Blessed Buy Israel, has grown into a company that exports Israeli goods and goodness all over the world.
Weap and his family have stood by Israel through thick and thin over the past eight years, but since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, they have encouraged even more people to join Israel's “buy-cottage” movement. calling out. Weap has always encouraged customers to “buy what you believe in.”
Now is an opportunity for people around the world to join forces with the Weap family and support small, family-run businesses in Judea and Samaria. Because a strong center in the Bible means a strong Israel.
As the war continues in Gaza, the Weap family is volunteering across Israel, helping farmers and small businesses who are suffering the most from the economic and labor downturn.
Waving the flag and praying for the nation of Israel are two different things. Buying Israeli products and sharing them with family and friends is on a whole different level. The products people buy from Blessed Buy Israel give money directly back to Israeli businesses and families. The idea behind Blessed Buy Israel was to expose people not only to Israeli products, but also to the stories and lives of the pioneers behind these amazing products.
Example: Baruch and Batya came from America to raise children, plant fruit trees, and make pottery inspired by the Land of Israel. Baruch has planted hundreds of trees on their land in the Itamar community, and Bhatia runs a pottery studio. They created a beautiful paradise around their house.
Another family, the Baruch and Simrit Feuchtwangers, have been in the honey industry for generations. Overcoming the ups and downs of beekeeping, they persevered and produced delicious honey in the land of milk and honey.
Eres and Bered used all the money they earned from their wedding to plant vines and olive trees in Israel, the heartland of the Bible. They built some of the first vineyards in Judea and Samaria for centuries, and now their olive oils and wines win awards around the world.
Blessed Buy Israel is inviting all supporters of Israel to join the Heartland Challenge. The idea is to commit to buying only certain Israeli products. Would you like some tea? Try to drink only Israeli tea. Do you use olive oil? We are committed to using only Israeli olive oil. Do you like eating locusts and honey? Buy only Israeli honey and eat Israeli locusts. This allows us to connect with Israeli products and people and share why we only buy from Israel.
Make “I support Israel” more than just words. Show these amazing products to your friends. Tell your neighbors how you are actually supporting Israel. Share your ideas for promoting and selling products from the Holy Land with local businesses. Join the Heartland Challenge today and post about your efforts on social media with the hashtag #HeartlandChallenge! Show the world that “I stand with Israel!”
Don't just buy Israel…buy Blessed Buy Israel and make a real difference in the lives of small business owners in the beautiful land of Israel today.
The author is Director of Public Relations at Blessed Buy Israel.
