The ice cream contains chocolate fudge Stars of David (Photo: Ben & Jerry's Israel)[Missing Credit]
“The idea for Milk and Honey – an Israeli ice cream that symbolises positive action and regional reconstruction – was born out of a sense of resilience and a desire for renewal.”
It continued: “Hundreds of employees at our factory in Be’er Tuvia took part in the development and production, driven by a desire to help rebuild the community, to provide strength and sweetness even in difficult times, and by a shared belief in hope and in our ability to build a better future together.”
The brand has high hopes for Milk and Honey beyond satisfying the cravings of sweet-toothed Israelis: “Our aspiration is that, beyond being a sweet and exceptionally delicious ice cream, Milk and Honey will also serve as a symbol of hope, recovery, and positive action for the community,” it said.
Royalties from sales will be donated to support recovery initiatives and community and educational projects in the south and the Gaza envelope, in partnership with the Ayalim Association, a non-profit organisation helping to build student communities across the Negev and Galilee.
Ben and Jerry’s Israel is run as an entirely separate entity from the global Ben & Jerry’s brand and the latter’s parent company, consumer goods giant Unilever.
The division stems from a major corporate dispute that arose in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s global board announced its intention to halt sales “in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)” – meaning the West Bank, (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza strip – because selling there was “inconsistent” with the brand’s values. It noted at the time that the decision reflected the concerns of its “fans and trusted partners”.
Ben & Jerry’s cofounders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield – both of whom are Jewish – wrote in an opinion piece for The New York Times: “The company’s stated decision to more fully align its operations with its values is not a rejection of Israel. It is a rejection of Israeli policy, which perpetuates an illegal occupation that is a barrier to peace and violates the basic human rights of the Palestinian people who live under the occupation. As Jewish supporters of the State of Israel, we fundamentally reject the notion that it is antisemitic to question the policies of the State of Israel.”
They added: “We believe this act can and should be seen as advancing the concepts of justice and human rights, core tenets of Judaism.”
The following year, however, Unilever sold its Ben & Jerry’s ice cream business in Israel and the West Bank to its long-term local licensee.
"The new arrangement means Ben & Jerry’s will be sold under its Hebrew and Arabic names throughout Israel and the West Bank under the full ownership of its current licensee," Unilever said at the time.
Last September, Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry’s after nearly 50 years.
