Israel is now considered “the vegan capital of the world” as it has the highest per capita vegan population in the world. About five percent of the population are said to have given up meat, dairy and eggs for ideological reasons.
The IDF has had to deal with this trend as a growing number of soldiers are declaring themselves vegan which for the army means not just diet but providing leather-free combat boots and wool-free berets.
The trend has also taken hold in the Orthodox community where the new converts use Jewish sources to argue against meat consumption.
The country’s renown entrepreneurial spirit in both the kitchen and the laboratory have led to new products and new technologies providing vegan chefs and consumers with more culinary options. In addition there are vegan apps, workshops and many festivals showcasing vegan foods and lifestyles.
The headline-making food tech start-up Supermeat, which grows meat without harming animals, launched in December, as a crowdfunding campaign initiated by an animal rights activist and vegan. The process was developed in the Hebrew University’s bioengineering department which has succeeded in creating ‘cultured meat’ from animal cells.
Another vegan start-up is Panda which makes a unique non-dairy milk chocolate in eight flavors. After two years of experimenting, they embarked on a crowdfunding campaign and are now producing their line of vegan chocolates out of a factory in Jerusalem.
Anonymous, an animal rights organization in Israel, launched the “22+ Challenge” program, which helps people adapt to a vegan lifestyle in 22 days. It is a program that has been adopted worldwide by people including singers Beyonce and Brian Adams.
Our tour included:
A visit to Supermeat’s laboratory and meeting with founder Ido Savir.
A visit to Panda Vegan Chocolate Factory and meeting with founders Daniel and his partner Eliya.
Lunch at Village Green, Jerusalem’s only strictly vegan restaurant and meeting with Ori Shavit, blogger, restaurateur, food critic and activist for animal rights. In 2015 was elected as one of the 50 social heroes and heroines of the year.
Meeting with Chen Cohen from Anonymous Challenge 22+
