Galilee Alchemist Preserves Jewish Alcohol Traditions

Shalom Bringer, a 51-year-old distiller in the Western Galilee, calls himself an alchemist, transforming plums and honey into unique spirits. His small-scale operation produces only a few hundred bottles, focusing on traditional Jewish recipes. Bringer sees himself as a link in a chain of Jewish distillers, inspired by his grandfathers who distilled arak and Slivovitz, and his wife's grandfather who made Chacha.

Bringer's fascination with transformation began in childhood, leading him to study biotechnology and parasitic plants, though he considers distilling his true passion. Three years ago, he founded 'The Alchemist' distillery, initially using honey from his beekeeping to create mead, which he then distills into a honey eau-de-vie. He also ferments and distills plums into Slivovitz and distills mead with anise to create arak.

He emphasizes that he is preserving Jewish traditions, producing arak reminiscent of Middle Eastern styles and Slivovitz that evokes memories for those of Eastern European descent. Bringer recounts that customers at his market stall often cry, sharing how his spirits remind them of home and childhood. He views his work as a mission to revive a nearly lost craft, citing historical accounts that a significant portion of Eastern European Jews were involved in alcohol production.

Bringer sells his spirits at farmers' markets and online. Despite the emotional impact of his products, he has no immediate plans to scale up production, stating he does it because it's what he's always done. His distillery is kosher, not due to external pressure, but to make his products accessible to observant Jews and as a nod to tradition.