Craft brewer Alexander is giving farmers hope

Israel | The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the world’s ongoing tragedies. Over the past two years, the southern border area between Israel and Gaza has become a new conflict zone.

Benefitting from the Mediterranean winds blowing eastwards, Palestinians have sent flaming kites and fire balloons across the border. In the past two months alone, more than 2,600 hectares of crops, mainly wheat, have been set on fire. This has devastated the lives of the farmers of Israel’s border towns and kibbutzim, who depend on their crops for their livelihood.

The loss to farmers has been estimated at well over USD 2 million, not including the extensive damage caused to the fields’ irrigation systems.

The Israeli craft brewer Alexander wanted to do something to help destitute Israeli farmers. It decided to launch a limited edition beer, made exclusively with Israeli wheat rescued from Gaza’s border fields. All of the beer’s proceeds will go to supporting the farmers, whose fields burnt in recent months. The brewery will be releasing 200,000 bottles, which will be available for purchase at supermarkets, bars, restaurants, and online, with free delivery to any part of Israel.

 Ad agency Leo Burnett Israel has created a campaign film that features testimonials revealing the pain felt by Gaza border farmers. The commercial ends with a call for Israeli consumers to buy the beer in solidarity and therefore help restore the farmlands and pastures.