A land of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-producing olives and honey (Deuteronomy - Chapter 8:8)
The Land of Milk and (Date!) Honey!
The Land of milk and honey and the seven species. But where are the dates? There are only a few passing mentions of dates within the Bible itself and only in the commentaries do we discover the true source of the delicious honey of the Holy Land.
Content
Taste of Israel History
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On Exodus 13:5, Rashi writes honey flows from the dates as does Ibn Ezra: our verse speaks of date honey. The same is true whenever Scripture speaks of a land flowing with milk and honey.
From the Bible until modern times, dates have provided an excellent form of sustenance to all those consuming them, whether the Jewish rebels on Masada or those hiking the Holy Land. Packed with energy-giving nutrients and a unique sweetness, it explains why Israelis love ‘Silan’ (date honey in Hebrew) and use it frequently in cooking, including as a natural sweetener instead of sugar. In the Bible, a date is referred to as ‘Tamar’, which is also a popular name for Jewish women. The most famous of them being Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah and also the sister of King David.
The dates of the Holy Land were known and continue to be the finest in the world. Herodotus (484-425 B.C.), a Greek historian, was recorded as saying, "In Syria (referring to the Land of Israel at the time) where most of the dates are, it is claimed that they only grow in three areas, two of which are of salty soil and the fruit is good for storing (Beit She'an, the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the environs of the Dead Sea).
The Medjool is the most famous date variety in Israel today. Thousands of tonnes are exported worldwide annually, enabling more people to taste the sweetness of the Land of Milk (and DATE) honey for themselves!
The Medjool is the most famous date variety in Israel today. Thousands of tonnes are exported worldwide annually, enabling more people to taste the sweetness of the Land of Milk (and DATE) honey for themselves!
The History of Dates in the Holy Land
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‘and the south, and the plain, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, until Zoar.’
Jericho
Just before Moses passed on, God permitted him a glimpse of the beautiful Land of Israel. One of the cities he could see was Jericho, soon to be the first city conquered by Joshua, his pupil and future leader of the Israelites. Jericho was referred to as the city of palm trees, in this instance, date palms, attesting to the bounty that was awaiting the Jewish people once they entered the land.
The presence of dates in the Holy Land goes back thousands of years, and this precious, extraordinary fruit provided the sweet honey explicitly referred to in the “Land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8)
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And they returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh, and they smote the entire field of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
Hazezon Tamar
As early as the times of our forefather Abraham, we see an account of the war of the Kings in the region. Hazezon Tamar, where the Amorites lived, is known to be the Dead Sea region of Ein Gedi, where date palms grew in abundance. There is a very obvious hint in the name ‘Tamar’, which means date!
And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruit of the hadar tree, date palm fronds (Kapot Tamarim), a branch of a braided tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for a seven-day period. (Leviticus 23:40)
The festival of Sukkot
The festival of Sukkot is also known as the Feast of the Tabernacles. If you have ever been to the Holy Land during this joyful seven-day festival, you would have seen many people walking around carrying the four species of the lulav (date palm), etrog (citron), hadas (myrtle), and arava (willow). Together, the four species are waved each day to show gratitude and faith in God. The lulav is, in fact, a closed date frond in Hebrew Kapot Tmarim.
that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to have His Name dwell there. (Deuteronomy - 26:2)
The festival of Shavuot
At the beginning of the annual harvest, farmers would pick the first fruits and place them in a basket to carry to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and offer them to God. This is the festival of Shavuot. They would only offer the very best of their produce, and when it came to the dates, the finest was a variety called ‘kothbot’ from Jericho!
Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says, we do not bring first fruits from dates, except for the dates that [grow] in Jericho, (Tosefta Bikkurim 1:8)
The Book Of Judges shows further evidence of the abundance of dates in Jericho.
And the children of Keni, the father-in-law of Moses, went up from the city of date palms, (Judges - Chapter 1)
The Book Of Judges shows further evidence of the abundance of dates in Jericho.
And the children of Keni, the father-in-law of Moses, went up from the city of date palms, (Judges - Chapter 1)
During the Roman rule of the Holy Land, the historian Josephus Flavius (37-85 A.D.) testified to the quality of the dates found in the Jericho and Dead Sea regions. "Here (in Jericho) is the richest region of Judaea in which are grown many date palms of excellent quality"
Ultimately, despite the quality of the dates, the Judean date palms would eventually be destroyed, either by farmers looking to make space for new fields or use in building materials and the arms industry. Under Roman rule, the date palm was prized for these uses, and by the year 500, the date palms of the Holy Land became all but extinct. However, an extensive (and highly recommended) report on the History of Dates in the Holy Land by Asaph Goor in 1965 claims that it wasn’t until the 14th century, during the Mamluk rule of the Holy Land, that the date palm was completely wiped out.
The end of dates in the Holy Land was confirmed in the late 1400s by Italian Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura, who had moved to Israel. He went to visit Jericho and, to his dismay, discovered that there were no longer any dates there, marking the end of thousands of years of the existence of dates in the Holy Land.
Ultimately, despite the quality of the dates, the Judean date palms would eventually be destroyed, either by farmers looking to make space for new fields or use in building materials and the arms industry. Under Roman rule, the date palm was prized for these uses, and by the year 500, the date palms of the Holy Land became all but extinct. However, an extensive (and highly recommended) report on the History of Dates in the Holy Land by Asaph Goor in 1965 claims that it wasn’t until the 14th century, during the Mamluk rule of the Holy Land, that the date palm was completely wiped out.
The end of dates in the Holy Land was confirmed in the late 1400s by Italian Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura, who had moved to Israel. He went to visit Jericho and, to his dismay, discovered that there were no longer any dates there, marking the end of thousands of years of the existence of dates in the Holy Land.
The Zionist Rebirth of Dates in the State of Israel
During the time of the Roman Empire, Josephus Flavius visited and recorded what he discovered at Masada, the last Jewish-held fortress set high above the Dead Sea. Here, the Bar Kochva revolt ultimately ended as the mighty Roman Empire finally succeeded in breaching the defenses of the last few hundred Jewish rebels.
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For here was laid up corn in large quantities, and such as would subsist men for a long time. Here was also wine, and oil in abundance; with all kinds of pulse, and dates heaped up together.
Dates were abundant in the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi region, and Josephus’s report also confirms their well-known health benefits, helping the defenders stay nourished and keep their energy levels up for a long time.
In the late 1800s, the first wave of Zionist pioneers arrived in the Holy Land and began to work the land, which had fallen into desolation under Ottoman rule. One of these agricultural pioneers, Ben-Zion Israeli, dreamed of making the Land flow again with date honey and set out on an audacious mission to achieve it. Together with a Mossad Agent called Yaniv Avidov (who was involved in smuggling Jews from Iraq to the Holy Land), the two looked into ways how to transport thousands of date saplings from Iraq to be planted in Israel. Tragically, he died soon after, and Avidov took up the mission on his own.
He smuggled 70,000 date saplings from Iraq to Persia by boat through the Suez Canal, but the Egyptians refused to let his cargo pass. He then chose to head to Italy, stopping off at Cyprus, where he managed to convince the ship’s captain to head to Haifa.
In the late 1800s, the first wave of Zionist pioneers arrived in the Holy Land and began to work the land, which had fallen into desolation under Ottoman rule. One of these agricultural pioneers, Ben-Zion Israeli, dreamed of making the Land flow again with date honey and set out on an audacious mission to achieve it. Together with a Mossad Agent called Yaniv Avidov (who was involved in smuggling Jews from Iraq to the Holy Land), the two looked into ways how to transport thousands of date saplings from Iraq to be planted in Israel. Tragically, he died soon after, and Avidov took up the mission on his own.
He smuggled 70,000 date saplings from Iraq to Persia by boat through the Suez Canal, but the Egyptians refused to let his cargo pass. He then chose to head to Italy, stopping off at Cyprus, where he managed to convince the ship’s captain to head to Haifa.
20% of the saplings had dried out. Still, the majority were usable and replanted in the Land of Israel, fulfilling Israeli’s dream of “le’tamer” (to date) and bless the Holy Land with an abundance of dates again!
But the story of Israel’s dates doesn’t end there. Between 1963 and 1965, Yigael Yadin, the former IDF Chief of Staff and archeologist, headed out with a team of explorers to the Masada fortress. Battling the searing heat but inspired by the proud and brave Jewish history of this significant location, they excavated a stunning range of precious artifacts. They discovered remains of King Herod's fortress and places, ancient pottery, an ancient Synagogue, and evidence related to the last stand of the Jewish rebels during the Bar Kochba revolt.
And there was more…
At the northern entrance of Herod’s palace, they found a small clay jar. They carefully inspected it, dusted it off, and opened it up. Peering inside, they discovered a handful of well-preserved date palm seeds. The jar had protected these precious seeds from the elements for the past 2,000 years!
But the story of Israel’s dates doesn’t end there. Between 1963 and 1965, Yigael Yadin, the former IDF Chief of Staff and archeologist, headed out with a team of explorers to the Masada fortress. Battling the searing heat but inspired by the proud and brave Jewish history of this significant location, they excavated a stunning range of precious artifacts. They discovered remains of King Herod's fortress and places, ancient pottery, an ancient Synagogue, and evidence related to the last stand of the Jewish rebels during the Bar Kochba revolt.
And there was more…
At the northern entrance of Herod’s palace, they found a small clay jar. They carefully inspected it, dusted it off, and opened it up. Peering inside, they discovered a handful of well-preserved date palm seeds. The jar had protected these precious seeds from the elements for the past 2,000 years!
The seeds were handed over to botanical archaeologist Mordechai Kislev from Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv and stored undisturbed, waiting for the perfect weather conditions to try to bring the date seeds to life. This wait lasted 40 years until 2005, when the Arava Institute contacted Dr. Elaine Solowey, a horticulturist specializing in desert environments.
She took some seeds and sent them to Switzerland for radiocarbon dating. The date palm seeds were dated between 155 BC and 64 CE, confirming their ripe old age!
Dr Solowey used her expertise to successfully produce a sapling from the ancient seeds. The Masada date seeds were now the oldest to have ever been successfully germinated, and in its honor, she named the tree ‘Methuselah’ after the oldest man in the Jewish Bible! Six of these cultivated seeds were planted in Kibbutz Ketura in the south and have grown magnificently, producing offshoots and wonderful dates that share a flavor similar to that of Medjool dates and of course, sweet honey!
She took some seeds and sent them to Switzerland for radiocarbon dating. The date palm seeds were dated between 155 BC and 64 CE, confirming their ripe old age!
Dr Solowey used her expertise to successfully produce a sapling from the ancient seeds. The Masada date seeds were now the oldest to have ever been successfully germinated, and in its honor, she named the tree ‘Methuselah’ after the oldest man in the Jewish Bible! Six of these cultivated seeds were planted in Kibbutz Ketura in the south and have grown magnificently, producing offshoots and wonderful dates that share a flavor similar to that of Medjool dates and of course, sweet honey!
Uses for Dates and their Symbolism
Since Biblical times, dates have been a valuable source of sustenance. They were eaten whole or used for their honey. The Talmud and Oral Torah reference various date-based food and beverage products, perhaps inspiring our modern-day date pioneers!
There was date porridge (Tosefta, Shabbat, 17), date cakes (Jerusalem Talmud Maasrot 2:3), ground and spiced dates (Tosefta, Maasaroth, 82, 2), date wine (Jerusalem Talmud Demai 1:1) and of course, the pure sweet date honey extracted from the finest dates in the Land!
There was date porridge (Tosefta, Shabbat, 17), date cakes (Jerusalem Talmud Maasrot 2:3), ground and spiced dates (Tosefta, Maasaroth, 82, 2), date wine (Jerusalem Talmud Demai 1:1) and of course, the pure sweet date honey extracted from the finest dates in the Land!
On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, we hold a Seder and eat various symbolic foods over which we recite blessings. The Ben Ish Hai, a renowned 19th-century Torah scholar, described the date's symbolism.
First, dates. One should recite the blessing of "creator of the fruit of the tree," and eat one date. After that, one should say: May it be your will that our enemies be destroyed (Yitamu = destroyed, sounds like tamar = date). The one should eat the second date, and have in mind "the enemies of the lower realms."
Of the four species, the palm represents a man's spine, alluding to the Jewish people as upright and righteous, a theme continued in Psalms: The righteous one flourishes like the palm (Psalms 92:13).
First, dates. One should recite the blessing of "creator of the fruit of the tree," and eat one date. After that, one should say: May it be your will that our enemies be destroyed (Yitamu = destroyed, sounds like tamar = date). The one should eat the second date, and have in mind "the enemies of the lower realms."
Of the four species, the palm represents a man's spine, alluding to the Jewish people as upright and righteous, a theme continued in Psalms: The righteous one flourishes like the palm (Psalms 92:13).
When giving thanks to God for the miraculous victory over the Greeks and regaining control of the Holy Temple, in a story recounted on Chanukah, the date palms were used as part of the thanksgiving service: "and the Levites brought a gift, one crown of gold and palm leaves and olive branches with which they would serve in holy ritual." (II Maccabees, 14, 6)
Many ancient coins discovered in the Holy Land commonly depict date palm trees.
The final word, however, should come from the fact that the date palm and every single part of was always used in the Holy Land!
Many ancient coins discovered in the Holy Land commonly depict date palm trees.
The final word, however, should come from the fact that the date palm and every single part of was always used in the Holy Land!
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"dates for the eating, fronds (lulavim) for prayer and praise, leaves for thatehing booths, bast for the making of ropes and sieves, and its trunk for ceilings."
Meet the Producers Reviving The Land of Milk & Honey
For thousands of years, the finest dates were grown in the Holy Land. Today, across Israel, modern-day pioneers tend to over 850,000 date palm trees to produce an incredible variety of date-based products, including energy snacks, spreads, and silan, the sweet date honey so beloved in the Holy Land. The most popular date varieties include the Medjool, of which over 40 tonnes are exported annually, and Deglet Noor. We are proud to work with some of Israel’s most talented producers who share the excellent taste of Israel’s dates with everyone!
Bar Bary
A small business based in Ashqelon, Bar Bary produces a delicious variety of natural, healthy snacks using only quality ingredients, many of which contain either Silan (pure date honey) or the finest Medjool dates, guaranteeing both a healthy sweetness and the energy-boosting benefits that come with it!! The team at Bar Bary has had to overcome significant challenges, among them repeated terrorist rocket attacks from Gaza, one of which landed close to their factory. The war hit them hard as staff were forced to stay home for security reasons, affecting production. However, like so many Israelis, they fought and succeeded in keeping their business going! You can celebrate their resilience with one of Bar Bary’s most popular products, a Cashew, Walnuts, Cranberry, and Silan Snack Bar. This snack bar truly represents the goodness of the Holy Land. It is sweetened with Silan and packed with fruits and nuts, which contain nutrients to help you boost your energy levels without the sugar crash that usually comes from processed snack bars!
Aunt Berta
In 1963, Aunt Berta and a few members of her community left Europe to fulfill the Zionist dream of making ‘Aliyah’ the ascent to Israel. She settled at the bottom of the Galilee mountains. There, just like our Biblical ancestors, Berta discovered the natural goodness of the Land of Israel—dates, figs, and pomegranates—which she had never seen while in Europe! And then she started making spreads with them!
On Passover, we traditionally eat a date-based spread called Charoset, and we can tell you that Aunt Berta's is the best! Hers contains dates and Silan so you can enjoy double the sweetness in each bite!
On Passover, we traditionally eat a date-based spread called Charoset, and we can tell you that Aunt Berta's is the best! Hers contains dates and Silan so you can enjoy double the sweetness in each bite!
Dani & Galit’s Healthy Bakery
Start your day with Maple, Pecan & Date Granola, which blends the natural sweetness of Israeli dates with crunchy roasted oats. Lovingly made by Dani and Galit’s Healthy Bakery from Ashdod, this wonderful couple have made it their mission to create sweet baked goods with only healthy ingredients! And when it comes to providing natural sweetness, only Medjool dates will do! Dani and Galit’s Maple, Pecan & Date Granola goes perfectly with yogurt, or just pour it into a bowl of milk for a healthy, filling, and tasty breakfast!
Racheli
Date and nut cookies, or Mamoul as we call them in Israel, are a snack you will find in every Israeli household, to be served alongside a hot cup of mint tea or coffee. They have been produced with love by one of our favorite boutique bakers, Racheli’s Cookies. Her bakery business came out of one crucial need: to provide delicious food and treats for her husband Uriel, who was diagnosed with Chrones disease, which strictly limited what he could eat. These Date and Nut cookies blend the deliciousness of a smooth spread of sun-ripened dates and the crunchy goodness of walnuts to provide you with the essential Israeli afternoon snack. There is just one problem: You might not be able to stop at just one cookie!
Neot Smadar
We saved the very best till last and are proud to offer you the finest of the land. The best of the best. The cream of the crop, Organic Medjool Dates! These delicious, plump, sweet, and juicy dates have been specially produced on the organic farm at Kibbutz Neot Smadar, based in the Negev desert, where the hot desert climate provides the optimal conditions to grow the dates. Neot Smadar is an incredible place. An ecological and eco-friendly Kibbutz built from scratch by a few pioneering families in 1986. Today, it is an Oasis! From their organic farm, which grows their unique Negev Desert dates, to the vineyards and artists' colony, It’s obvious to see that just like the early pioneers successfully resumed the flow of date honey in Israel, so did the community of Neot Smadar in a place where dates did not previously grow! Fascinating enough, only a few kilometers away from their date palms lies Kibbutz Ketura, where the world's oldest date palm is based!
Now, you, too, can savor the authentic taste of the Land of Milk and Honey!
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