Ben & Jerry’s Israel has introduced a new ice cream flavor called “Milk and Honey,” designed to highlight local ingredients and express solidarity following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants. The flavor features milk and cream sourced from a dairy in Kibbutz Alumim, a southern Israeli community near the Gaza border that was directly affected by the attack. Honey used in the ice cream comes from beehives in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, another community in the south of Israel. Chocolate fudge pieces shaped like Stars of David, produced at the Korint factory in Beersheba, a social enterprise employing people with disabilities, complete the pint.

The company, based in Kiryat Malachi, described the product as its “most Israeli flavor ever” and a “symbol of hope, rehabilitation, and positive action” in response to the tragedy and ongoing conflict. Proceeds from sales are set to support rehabilitation and educational programs in southern Israel through a partnership with the Ayalim Association, a nonprofit focused on strengthening Israel’s peripheral regions. The packaging features “Fields of Light,” a painting by the late southern Israeli artist Rivi Doron-Gerloy, who died in a car accident in Miami last year.

This launch occurs in the context of a significant divergence between the Israeli and American Ben & Jerry’s operations. The two entities split following a 2021 controversy in which the original Ben & Jerry’s company announced a boycott of sales in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, citing a conflict with its corporate values. The decision drew strong criticism in Israel, with President Isaac Herzog labeling it a form of “terrorism,” and political figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu urging Israelis to avoid the brand.

The split led to Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s parent company, selling the Israeli license to Avi Zinger, who owns American Quality Products. Zinger’s acquisition included rights to sell under Hebrew and Arabic branding throughout Israel and settlements, although the original American Ben & Jerry’s no longer profit from these sales. A legal dispute and public tensions accompanied the transition, with Zinger once proposing to rename the company’s popular “Chunky Monkey” flavor to “Judea and Samaria,” the Hebrew term for the West Bank—a move rejected by the Vermont-based company.

Despite the corporate realignment, some Israeli consumers remain skeptical about the brand due to its previous boycott stance and its founders’ outspoken political views. Social media reactions to the new flavor were mixed: some praised the patriotic message and local sourcing, while others dismissed the taste as unremarkable or rejected the brand outright.

Taste testers described “Milk and Honey” as resembling vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips, with some noting the honey flavor was subtle. A food influencer called it a “statement” more than a distinct culinary experience, and some reviewers compared it unfavorably to kosher dairy-free desserts. The new flavor’s release follows Ben Cohen’s recent announcement of plans for a “flavor for Palestine,” which remains unproduced due to corporate restrictions.

The introduction of “Milk and Honey” thus marks a complex moment, blending local pride, political symbolism, and ongoing debate over the Ben & Jerry’s brand identity in Israel and beyond.