The Halva Kingdom

Most people who have been to Israel know how important tahini is to Israeli culture!

Tehina, a paste or butter made of sesame seeds, is truly a staple here in Israel.

Israelis put tahini on almost everything: salads, bread, yogurt, and even ice cream (trust us, it's delicious!)

There are tahini cookies, tahini cakes, tahini ice creams, and crackers. Basically, there is essentially a tahini-based EVERYTHING!

But one of our most favorite sweet tahini snacks is halva!

Halva, a dense and sweet confectionary, comes in many forms around the world. The word originates from an Arabic word meaning "sweet"- and sweet is definitely is!

In the Middle East, halva comes in the form of sesame seeds, AKA, tahini. It is made from combining tahini and a sweetener, such as honey, sugar, or maple syrup. Then it is condensed into a crumbly yet chewy sweet treat! It may take a bit of getting used to in the beginning, but once you do, there is no going back!

Where can you find the best halva?

Well, delicious halva can be found around the whole country, but one of our favorite halva brands is the Halva Kingdom or ממלכת החלבה in Hebrew!

If you have ever been to the Jerusalem shuk, you know the smells, the sounds, and the tastes of authentic Israel. Many of the stalls and vendors in the shuk offer free samples of their delicious products to all passerby's- whether it's fruit, bread, spices, teas...OR HALVA!

The HALVA KINGDOM is one of those stalls!

PS: even if a vendor doesn't offer you a free sample, you can always ask!

Just say אפשר לטעום? Meaning, can I have a taste?

A plat of small cubes of halva with large rounds of halva in the background — Keep an eye out for a person wearing a crown near the Halva Kingdom. That's the guy who is passing out samples! / Shifra Gottleib

The Halva Kingdom has been making these delicious sesame treats since 1947 with their first store in Jerusalem's old city, and today has 3 different stands throughout the whole Jerusalem shuk. Just look out for their workers wearing a crown on their heads with a platter of halva in hand!

What makes the Halva Kingdom so unique is the different flavors of halva they make! With over 100 different flavors and types of halva, you can bet there will be one for everyone!

Whether you are a chocolate or peanut butter lover, a fruit monster, or enjoy the tastes of different nuts and seeds, there is an halva flavor for you!