Golan Heights Winery Store (Wikipedia)
“Sip for Solidarity” is a new campaign aimed at getting people to buy more Israeli wine. The effort comes in the wake of the barbaric Hamas terror attack of October 7 in which more than 1,000 innocent Israeli civilians were murdered, including the burning alive of entire families.
The new effort is promoted by the Israeli Wine Producers Association (IWPA), a trade organization promoting Israeli wineries through wine education and events.
The attack caused major problems for Israel’s agriculture. The towns near the border with Gaza that were attacked included a number of kibbutzim – agricultural collectives – that produce a large share of Israeli grown produce. And they also produce dairy and poultry products like eggs. Some were destroyed and the entire area near Gaza has been evacuated.
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Also, the Hezbollah terrorist group based in Lebanon has been launching strikes at northern Israel over the past few weeks. So, towns near that order have also been evacuated. This has disrupted Israel’s grape and wine production and wine is one of Israel’s big exports.
And thousands of Israelis have left their jobs after being called up for reserve military duty.
As the people behind Sip for Solidarity explain, “The world of wine in Israel, perhaps the oldest wine-producing region in the world, has always represented a sense of peace and goodwill but has become collateral damage of the horrible atrocities that occurred on October 7th.
And in the past 30 years, Israel’s wine production has increased and the quality of its wines – as well as their reputations – has grown. Israeli wines are no longer derided as cheap kosher wines like those made in New York. They win awards and competitions the world over.
The brands of Israeli wines are now numerous. Some of the best include the ones from the Golan Heights Winery, the Jezreel Valley Winery and Teperberg winery, just to name a few.
Israel now produces all manner of fine wine such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, and much more.
“Winemaking has its own schedule, unlike other industries where you can pause production or run with limited staff. Grapes grow and ripen when they do; the winemaking process is very hands-on. Without staff, many wineries face an impending crisis.” said Joshua Greenstein, the Vice President of the IWPA. “Additionally, wine is usually something enjoyed when you go out to eat or to a party, and people in Israel aren’t feeling particularly celebratory these days. It’s catastrophic not just for this years’ sales, but for the vintages harvesting now that won’t be ready for sale for years to come.”
“Buy a bottle of Israeli wine,” he added. “Not only will the purchase help the wineries, but we’re donating 10% of every case shipped from November 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023 to Israeli relief efforts. With the wine consuming public’s support, these challenges are surmountable, and wineries will still craft wines that accurately and deliciously reflect the character of the vintage and of Israel, just as they always have.”
