Helping Israeli Farmers

Organic farmers Tanya Tolchin and Scott Hertzberg have a two-fold passion—agriculture and Israel. They own Jug Bay Market Garden, a small organic farm in Prince George’s County, Md., and have marketed its seasonal vegetables and herbs to a growing number of subscribers in the Washington, D.C., area. Having both worked on farms in Israel, they recognize that Israeli farmers, like their American counterparts, face an ongoing struggle to make a living and hold the line against real estate developers.

Tolchin and Hertzberg have now created Israeli Harvest (www.israeliharvestcooperative.com), an online cooperative that features Israeli agricultural products. “We are starting Israeli Harvest out of a love of Israel and because we believe Israeli farmers can benefit from creative ways to connect farmers with loyal, supportive customers,” they write on the Web site.

Among the featured products are two that will draw raves from your Rosh Hashanah guests. Order individually or contact Israeli Harvest to learn about discounts for large orders. Pomegranate 100% Fruit Spread ($5 plus S&H for a 10-ounce jar) has no added sugar and is sweetened with fruit juice. Produced at Moshav Beit Yitzhak, a community near Netanya that still subsists mostly on agriculture, this spread was named the Best Fine Food from Israel at last year’s Kosherfest. Organic Medjool Dates from kibbutzim south of the Dead Sea are considered among the best in the world. They are available from Israeli Harvest for $36 for a 4.4-pound box and keep in the fridge for weeks.