New Jersey Wine-Tasting Event Supports Israeli Wineries Impacted by War

The Israel Wine Collection — an initiative of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) — hosted a special event in Deal, New Jersey, on Wednesday, supporting Israeli wineries impacted by the ongoing war in Gaza and on the northern border.

The unique event, held at the DSN Beach Club and attended by more than 200 guests, highlighted the perseverance of Israel’s wine industry over the nearly year that has passed since October 7th, with representatives of five wineries — Tulip, Agur, Matar, Drimia, and Dalton — sharing personal tales of heroism, and showcased the vital role winemaking plays in communities across Israel.

The wine-tasting, curated by CAM Director of Community Engagement and Co-Founder of the Israel Wine Collection Shira Granot, featured samplings of 12 wines, with attendees later able to make purchases from the participating wineries.

(The wines can also be bought online at israeliwinedirect.com and kosherwine.com/israeli-wines)

Granot’s presentation, “Wine, War & Israel,” sheds light on the impact of conflict on the wine industry and the resilience of those who keep it thriving. Winery owners have had to cope with the deaths of loved ones on October 7th and the subsequent war, the mass mobilization of employees for reserve military duty, and damage to and closure of vineyards from incessant missile, rocket, and drone attacks.

“I’m here to tell the story of Israel since October 7th,” Granot told the audience. “This is a wine-tasting, this is a fun night. But each and every wine and winery you will taste tonight has a story and has been severely affected by war.”

“I grew up in a Catholic school in Germany, where I was the only Jewish girl,” she recalled. “Yet never, in my whole life, would I have imagined that I would need to combat antisemitism in these days.”