Yaara Kalmanovitch established her boutique chocolate business in Jerusalem in 2016 to help at-risk youth, new immigrants, and disabled adults. Yaara began her career as a lawyer, working in a law practice that worked with at-risk youth. Time and time again, she saw that the system could not be the only path to making a positive impact in the lives of these people.

Her business began with workshops conducted at her home and grew from there. Today some of the first kids who attended Yaara’s workshop are in leadership positions in her small factory!

All of Yaara’s chocolates are handmade from 100% natural ingredients. She makes sumptuous bar chocolate, sweet spreads, and pralines. Her inspiration for her bold-tasting chocolate comes from nature, and she sources many of her ingredients from Israeli farmers.

Yaara spent much of her childhood in the company of her father, exploring and learning about nature. Her father taught her which plants could be picked and brought home for preparing the evening meal and dessert. She learned the exceptional tastes and flavors of the Holy Land, from sorrel salads to sabra fruit and pomegranates.

Yaara happily incorporates these flavors of her childhood into the chocolates that she makes. She and her team create new and unique recipes utilizing uniquely Israeli ingredients such as zaatar, mint, dates, and pine nuts from the Jerusalem Forest.

Yaara is particular about the quality of the ingredients that she uses. If a recipe calls for fruit, she uses real Israeli fruit picked at its peak and freeze-dried to preserve and maintain its flavor.