Support the North: Galilee & Golan Gift Boxes

Sending a gift to Israel and want it to reach the people who need it most? A Galilee and Golan gift box puts your money directly into the hands of northern producers — the wineries, apiaries and small food makers whose communities sat on the Lebanese border and were evacuated for more than a year. Most "support Israel" gift shops stop at the south; this guide is about the north. For the bigger picture of how a purchase becomes support, see our guide to gifts that support Israeli farmers.

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, and the rest covers the product itself, packaging, the art card and delivery.

Why the north needs support too

When the war spread to the Lebanese border, more than 70,000 residents of the Galilee and the Golan were evacuated — the first mass evacuation of the region in Israel's history. Many were gone for over a year, and six months after the ceasefire roughly half had still not returned home. The damage fell hardest on the land: the Galilee and Golan grow close to 40% of Israel's wine, and vineyards, apiaries and orchards near the border went unharvested or were hit outright. Buying a northern box is a direct, dignified alternative to a donation — you pay a fair price for real products, and 60% of that goes straight back to the makers rebuilding their livelihoods. Delivery runs about 7 business days anywhere in Israel, and there is no customs or import duty because the gift ships locally.

What goes into a northern gift box

A northern box is built almost entirely from Galilee and Golan makers, so every item carries a place and a name. Expect four kinds of things: boutique wine from the volcanic Golan; raw honey from Galilee apiaries; handmade chocolate and spreads; and cold-pressed olive products from historic Galilee villages. A ₪165 box, for example, pairs a bottle of Golan wine with northern honey and spreads, while the ₪85 box keeps to honey, spreads and treats. Everything is kosher under local rabbinate supervision, most Badatz, and each box includes an art card from the Bezalel "Otef Memory" project. As one Galilee beekeeper on the old front line puts it, the apiary "keeps producing with a real understanding of what a border means." You are not buying a generic hamper — you are buying a specific vineyard's, apiary's or kitchen's season.

Northern producers you'll be supporting

Every named maker in these boxes sits on or near the northern frontier. Har Odem Winery (Golan) grows grapes on the basalt slopes of Mount Odem, one of the most dramatic vineyard sites in Israel — a bottle from Har Odem "tells a completely different story than valley wines." Ayelet HaShachar (Hula Valley) is a veteran kibbutz apiary whose honey is considered among the finest northern honeys; the kibbutz sat on the front line in the earlier Lebanon war and understands exactly what a border costs. Moshav Manot (Western Galilee) is a small apiary raising bees on wild Galilee blossoms — anemone, sage and lavender — while Kibbutz Dafna's Shulman family makes bean-to-bar chocolate in the greenest valley of the Upper Galilee. Bnei Yehuda (Golan) produces rich home-style spreads — roasted garlic, basil, roasted pepper — from plants grown on the Golan itself, and olive products from Peki'in, a historic Galilee village, round out the northern side of every box. Meet more of them in our producers' stories.

Choose your northern gift box by budget

Every box below is in stock and priced in shekels (VAT included), ordered from the most accessible to the most generous. Order any quantity — there is no minimum, and 60% of what you pay reaches the producers.

1. Dvir Box — ₪85

An accessible Galilee box of honey, spreads and treats from northern producers — the simplest way to put money into the north. View this box.

2. Galilee Hug Box — ₪148

A warm mid-range selection built around Galilee makers — honey, chocolate and spreads for a gift that clearly says "the north." View this box.

3. Northern Celebration Box — ₪165

A festive box that adds Har Odem wine from the Golan to northern honey and spreads — generous and celebratory. View this box.

4. All the Best from the North — ₪224

The premium northern box: a wide tasting selection including Golan wine, for when the gift should speak for itself. View this box.

5. Northern Abundance — Branded — ₪271

The fullest Galilee-and-Golan selection, and the one companies choose: a generous northern tasting box with the option to add your logo for corporate solidarity gifting. View this box.

When to send a northern gift

A northern box works for almost any occasion — but the calendar matters if you want it to land on time. For Rosh Hashanah 2026 (sunset 11 September to 13 September), order by early September so local delivery's ~7 business days clears before the chag; honey boxes are especially fitting for the New Year, when apples and honey symbolize a sweet year. Beyond the holidays, a Galilee or Golan box suits a thank-you, a corporate gift to an Israeli team, a "thinking of you" to evacuated friends, or simply buying Israeli to support the north year-round. Because everything ships inside Israel, there is no customs threshold to worry about and no import VAT for the recipient — the price you see (₪85–₪271) is what it costs. For a wider view of sending gifts into Israel, start from the complete guide to Israeli gift boxes that support real producers.

Send the north and south together

Can't choose between the frontiers? Many of our boxes deliberately pair Galilee and Golan products with the Gaza-Envelope south, so a single gift supports both at once — northern honey beside southern olive oil, Golan wine beside Otef chocolate. It is the most complete way to say "all of Israel," and it spreads your 60% across communities on both borders. Prefer to keep it simple and sweet? You can send northern honey on its own — see where to buy Israeli honey that supports farmers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the north of Israel need support?

More than 70,000 residents of the Galilee and Golan, near the Lebanese border, were evacuated during the war in the north — many for over a year, and roughly half had not returned six months after the ceasefire. Their farms, wineries and small food businesses lost a season or more of income, and they receive far less attention than the south.

Which northern producers do you work with?

Among others: Har Odem Winery on the Golan; Ayelet HaShachar honey in the Hula Valley; the Moshav Manot apiary and the Shulman family's chocolate in the Galilee; Bnei Yehuda spreads on the Golan; and olive products from Peki'in.

How much of my money actually reaches them?

60% of revenue goes directly to producers from the affected communities. The remaining share covers the product itself, packaging, the Bezalel art card and local delivery. We don't quote a percentage to any outside organization — the support goes to the makers.

Can I combine northern and southern products in one gift?

Yes. Many boxes deliberately pair the south (the Otef) with the north, so one gift supports both frontiers. Just ask us and we'll tailor it to your budget.

Are the products kosher, and do you ship abroad?

Everything is kosher under local rabbinate supervision, most Badatz. We deliver across Israel — including northern communities — in about 7 business days, and can ship a taste of Israel abroad on request.

How to Order

Ready to support the north? Order on our website, message us on WhatsApp at 054-2207955, or email us. Tell us your budget and occasion and we'll build the right Galilee-and-Golan box.

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