Many people can relate to the phrase, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” For Paramus native Jason Cohen, life gave him lemons—so he made peanut butter.

A medical doctor, Cohen practiced both anesthesiology and pain management before making aliyah in 2011. He opened a pain management clinic in Israel and commuted back and forth to the U.S., where he worked as a consultant. But when the pandemic hit, his consulting business was shut down and he had extra time on his hands to think about how he wanted to spend his days.

At the same time, Cohen started to crave peanut butter, which he would bring back to Israel after his business trips in the U.S. He tried searching for peanut butter in Israeli supermarkets, but he was disappointed with the quality of the products that were available. Most peanut butter sold in Israeli supermarkets is imported from abroad and is chemical-laden. Some brands do not contain real peanuts but peanut powder from China, hardly mimicking the high-end and natural peanut butter from the U.S. that he was used to indulging in.

With time on his hands, a very determined and peanut butter-hungry Cohen began researching the industry in Israel and contacted experts in agriculture and nut importing. He visited peanut farms across the country to meet firsthand with farmers and learn about the trade. “I felt like I was in residency all over again, but this time in the peanut industry,” jokes Cohen.

Cohen learned that Israeli farmers grow world class peanuts, but 65% of the peanuts are exported due to their high quality. Since peanut butter does not have the same prominent place in the Israeli diet as it does in the American one, its demand is much lower, which in turn impacts its quality. But there are plenty of immigrants who miss the American version of peanut butter and settle for a watered-down or less natural version once they move to Israel.

Equal to Cohen’s obsession with peanut butter is his love for the Jewish State. When he learned that local farmers export the majority of their crop, he was motivated to improve these figures, and knew that there was a real need for good quality peanut butter in Israel. That was the start of Cohen’s journey from medical professional to producer of 100% natural “blue-and-white” peanut butter made from homegrown Israeli nuts—aptly named, “Holy Butter.”

Cohen purchased his own machines and began grinding and roasting peanuts out of his home, experimenting with peanuts grown in a variety of conditions in different parts of the country, the ideal type of oven and the duration and temperature for roasting, along with other variables that affect the outcome of peanut butter. Through trial and error, he determined that the ideal peanuts are grown in the Negev. He keeps some of the skin on during the roasting process, which results in a healthier and more flavorful final product with a richer color.

Holy Butter has since graduated from its early days when Cohen was producing peanut butter out of his home with his wife Donna and four children. He is in the process of moving to a large factory in Modi’in, where he will be able to scale production to a much higher level. This will allow him to partner with large food companies, distribute his product overseas and break into new industries, including the sports industry, where Holy Butter is already becoming a hit with athletes. He has added almond butter to his product line and is working on adding additional flavors. He estimates that since the beginning of production in July 2020, some 5 tons of nuts have been sold, translating into 8,000 tubs of peanut and almond butter. He aims to triple that figure this year.

As a student in medical school, it is unlikely that Cohen could have imagined that years later, he would be examining peanuts in the Negev. But he is certain he was placed in this role for a reason. Cohen believes that Holy Butter is a tool to spread another superb attribute about Israel, and he hopes that the world will recognize Israel for its nut production the same way the country is known for its high-quality wines and grape production. At the same time, he is helping local farmers, which he insists the Israeli people must support more.

Cohen still maintains his pain management practice in Israel and he has resumed his consultancy business in the U.S. He strives to maintain a difficult balance between his medical work, peanut butter business, hobbies and family life. “I feel more alive and more a part of Israel being able to touch and feel the ground from start to finish and be part of the transformation,” he shares. And he can indulge in vitamin-rich and savory homegrown peanut butter to get him through his long days.

Follow Holy Butter on instagram at holy_butter_ or visit www.holybutter.com

Alisa Bodner is a Fair Lawn native who immigrated to Israel a decade ago. She is a nonprofit management professional who enjoys writing in her free time.