Apples and Honey Gift to Israel for Rosh Hashanah 2026

Sending apples and honey to Israel for Rosh Hashanah is the sweetest way to wish family, friends, employees or clients a shanah tovah u'metukah — a good and sweet new year — with a kosher honey gift box that's delivered locally, with no customs for the recipient. Apples dipped in honey are the defining symbol of the Jewish New Year, a custom recorded as far back as 11th-century France. Rosh Hashanah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, 11 September and ends at nightfall on Sunday, 13 September, so the smart window to order is late August through the first week of September. At Hibuk Otef every box is curated from named producers across Israel's north and south, so your greeting also helps rebuild the communities behind the honey — see our guide to Israeli gifts that support real producers.

Hibuk Otef — The Story Behind Every Gift

Hibuk Otef ("Enveloping Embrace") is a unique boutique gift initiative that brings together products from the communities of the Gaza Envelope and Israel's southern and northern frontier, alongside works of art that commemorate the beauty of the region. The project was founded to support local producers, farmers and entrepreneurs who were affected. 60% of revenues go directly to producers from the affected communities.

Why Apples and Honey for Rosh Hashanah?

On Rosh Hashanah, Jewish families dip apple slices in honey and ask for a shanah tovah u'metukah — a good and sweet year. The custom is old and layered: the first written link between apples and the New Year appears in Machzor Vitry, an 11th-century French prayer book, and the dipping ritual as we know it took shape in 15th-century Germany. The apple's round shape stands for the turning of the year, while honey — the most common sweetener in the ancient Jewish world — became the natural symbol of the hope for sweetness in the months ahead. An apples-and-honey gift turns that blessing into something real on a loved one's table, even from thousands of miles away. A jar of single-origin Israeli honey does more than sweeten the holiday — it carries the taste of one specific hillside and supports the family that keeps the bees. That is the difference between a generic honey pot and a gift with a story.

Beyond Apples and Honey: The Other Simanim

Apples and honey are the most famous of the Rosh Hashanah simanim ("symbolic signs"), but they are only the opening of a longer table. The custom of eating symbolic foods and reciting a short yehi ratzon ("may it be Your will") over each is rooted in the Talmud (Horayot 12a), and most families set out at least five or six signs. The pomegranate — said to hold 613 seeds, one for each mitzvah — stands for a year full of good deeds; dates (tamar) play on the Hebrew for "may our enemies be finished"; and quince, leek, beetroot and the head of a fish each carry their own blessing. Our Rosh Hashanah boxes deliberately echo this fuller table: alongside jars of honey you'll find dates, dried fruit and nuts, so the gift reads as a complete New-Year spread rather than a single jar. If you want a gift that speaks the whole language of the holiday, look for a box that pairs honey with dates and pomegranate notes.

What Goes Into a Rosh Hashanah Honey Gift Box

A Hibuk Otef Rosh Hashanah honey gift box is built around jars of boutique Israeli honey and rounded out with the flavours of the season — dates, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, olive oil and often a boutique wine. Prices run from ₪59 for a compact greeting box up to ₪236 for a generous family box, all shown VAT-inclusive for private customers (Israel's VAT is 18%). Every item comes from a named Israeli producer, and the honey specifically is drawn from working apiaries in the Galilee and the Gaza-border south — the regions hit hardest by the wars of the past two years. Boxes are kosher under local rabbinate supervision, most Badatz. You can add a personal greeting card in Hebrew or English, and mix several box tiers in one order so each recipient gets exactly the right gift. For the wider picture of what to send each holiday, see the Jewish-holiday gifting calendar.

How Much Does It Cost to Send Apples and Honey to Israel?

A complete apples-and-honey gift delivered inside Israel costs less than most people sending from abroad expect. Boxes themselves run ₪59 to ₪236 (VAT-inclusive for private customers), and nationwide home or business delivery is a flat ₪45 before VAT, arriving in roughly 3–8 days depending on location; self-pickup from our packing centre in Shilat, near Modi'in, is free. The decisive saving is invisible on the price tag: because we pack and ship from inside Israel, your recipient pays no customs and no 18% import VAT — the fees that routinely land on parcels mailed from the US or Europe. So a ₪104 mid-range box lands for ₪133 all-in with delivery, with nothing to collect and no surprise charge at the door. Ordering several boxes to one family or team? You pay one flat delivery fee per drop-off point, and we can split a single order across many addresses. That combination — modest box price, one flat fee, zero customs — is why sending locally almost always beats posting a basket internationally.

Choose Your Rosh Hashanah Honey Box by Budget

Every box below is ordered cheapest to most generous, priced in shekels and VAT-inclusive for private customers. Each one is honey-led and kosher, and each supports the named producers behind it.

Idan Rosh Hashanah Box — ₪59

The simplest way to say shanah tovah: a compact box with Israeli honey and a sweet treat, ready to send with a New-Year greeting. A lovely token gift for a colleague, neighbour or client. View the Idan Rosh Hashanah box.

Liraz 'A Little Sweetness' Box — ₪71

Honey paired with a small selection of Galilee and southern treats — a thoughtful, desk-side gift that still feels personal. See the Liraz box.

Nevo Holiday Box — ₪104

Honey, olive oil and holiday sweets from producers in both the north and the Gaza-border south — a balanced mid-range gift for family or a valued client. Explore the Nevo holiday box.

Hadar 'All the Good of Israel' Box — ₪142

A fuller spread of Israeli honey, artisan spreads, dried fruit and chocolate — the box to send when you want the gift to feel abundant. View the Hadar box.

Alexander Premium Box — ₪236

The generous family box: Golan boutique wine, several honeys, Galilee chocolate and more — a centrepiece gift for the holiday table. See the Alexander premium box.

Can You Send Fresh Apples to Israel?

Short answer: you don't need to — and we don't ship fresh produce. Fresh apples are heavy, perishable and grown abundantly in Israel itself (the Golan and Galilee orchards supply the whole country), so mailing them in makes no sense. Instead, our Rosh Hashanah boxes carry the honey — the part that's hard to get right — plus dates, dried fruit and sweets, and your recipient dips their own crisp local apples on the night. It's the same beloved ritual, done better: a jar of single-origin Israeli honey on the table beats a bruised apple that travelled a week in the post. If you'd like the apple present in spirit, we can add a personal card carrying your New-Year blessing, and the box arrives fresh because it never leaves the country. This is a small but real advantage over overseas "apples-and-honey" baskets, which either substitute long-life fillers or risk spoilage and customs delays at the border.

The Apiaries Behind the Honey — North and South

The honey in these boxes isn't anonymous supermarket honey — it comes from named, working apiaries, two in the northern Galilee and one on the Gaza-border south. Each keeps producing under difficult conditions, and each jar tastes of its own landscape. When you send one of these boxes you are, quite literally, buying a season's harvest from a family that needs the order. Read more about the apiaries and farmers we work with.

Manot Honey (Western Galilee). A small boutique apiary in Moshav Manot, where the bees forage on Galilee wildflowers — anemone, sage, hops and lavender. The result is a dark, aromatic honey that carries the taste of the Galilee hills in a single jar.

Ayelet HaShachar Honey (Hula Valley). A veteran apiary in Kibbutz Ayelet HaShachar, whose honey — drawn from Golan and Hula Valley blossoms — is considered one of the finest "northern" honeys in Israel. The kibbutz sat on the front line during the war in Lebanon and, as the family that keeps the hives puts it, "we didn't stop the bees for a single season." They kept the hives working throughout, understanding exactly what a border means.

Erez Apiary (Kibbutz Erez, Gaza border). Founded in 1950, Erez is one of the oldest apiaries in Israel and pioneered sustainable, disease-free beekeeping long before it was common. Its honey arrives in beautifully designed jars with the deep aroma of Negev and Mediterranean bloom — the taste of the resilient south.

Apples and Honey for Your Israeli Team — Corporate & Bulk

Rosh Hashanah is the single biggest corporate gifting moment in Israel, and an apples-and-honey box is the safe, universally welcome choice for employees and clients — it's kosher, non-alcoholic in its lower tiers, and needs no size or dietary guesswork. For bulk orders we keep the same ₪45 flat delivery per drop-off point, split a single order across dozens of home addresses or send a consolidated pallet to one office, and add your company greeting or logo sticker for a small fee. Because 60% of every box goes straight to producers in the affected communitiesa corporate order doubles as a visible CSR statement your team will actually notice. The one timing rule: place bulk orders in August. Single boxes ship within a few days, but a list of 40 employees needs lead time to pack and route before the holiday. For the full corporate picture, see our Rosh Hashanah gift guide for Israel.

Delivery, Kosher and Timing for Rosh Hashanah 2026

Because Hibuk Otef packs and ships from inside Israel, a gift sent to an Israeli recipient clears no customs and no import VAT — the single biggest advantage over posting a parcel from abroad. Nationwide home or business delivery is a flat ₪45 before VAT, arriving in roughly 3–8 days by location; self-pickup from our packing centre in Shilat, near Modi'in, is free. Rosh Hashanah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, 11 September, so single boxes are safe to order in the first week of September, while large corporate orders are best placed in August. Every box is kosher under local rabbinate supervision, most Badatz. And because 60% of each sale goes directly to the producersyour Rosh Hashanah greeting also helps rebuild the communities behind it. For the full seasonal picture, see our Rosh Hashanah gift guide for Israel. We also ship worldwide when you'd rather receive the gift yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you deliver apples and honey gifts anywhere in Israel?

Yes. We deliver to homes and businesses nationwide for a flat fee of ₪45 before VAT, arriving typically in 3–8 days depending on location. Self-pickup from our packing centre in Shilat, near Modi'in, is free.

Do the boxes include fresh apples?

No — we don't ship perishable fresh produce. Our boxes carry boutique Israeli honey plus dates, dried fruit and sweets, and your recipient dips their own fresh local apples on the night. It keeps the gift fresh and avoids spoilage and customs delays.

Are your Rosh Hashanah honey boxes kosher?

Yes. Every box is kosher under local rabbinate supervision, and most items are Badatz. We can match specific kosher requirements on request.

When should I order for Rosh Hashanah 2026?

Rosh Hashanah 2026 begins at sundown on 11 September. Single boxes usually ship within a few days to a week, so the first week of September is safe; large corporate orders should be placed in August.

Can I send gifts to several addresses in one order?

Yes. We coordinate both consolidated deliveries to one point and individual shipments to many recipients — useful for family lists, employees or clients — at a flat ₪45 per drop-off point.

Can I add a personal greeting or company branding?

Yes. You can add a personal card in Hebrew or English, or brand the box with a company sticker or greeting card, for a small add-on.

Can I send an apples-and-honey gift from outside Israel?

Absolutely — most of our customers order from abroad. You pay online from anywhere, we pack and deliver inside Israel, and your recipient owes no customs or VAT. We can also ship worldwide if you'd rather receive the gift yourself.

How to Order

Ready to send a sweet new year? Browse boxes on our website, message us on WhatsApp at 054-2207955, or email netalc24@gmail.com and we'll build a Rosh Hashanah gift — single or in bulk — around your budget and list.

Written by Neta Lin Cohen — founder of Hibuk Otef, architect and Bezalel graduate, with 30+ years of experience in culinary gifting.