LYNDHURST, Ohio — “Tahini was our peanut butter, ketchup and mayonnaise,” recalls Dana Harary, who grew up in Israel. While many in the U.S. may not be familiar with tahini, But Harari and her business, SoCo Tahini, are doing what they can to make this versatile condiment known across the country.
Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and can be added to a variety of foods to make them creamier or tastier, which is often done by people living in the Middle East.
“Tahini is the queen of the Mediterranean pantry,” says Lyndhurst resident Harari. “We use it for basically everything. I personally eat it probably at least 3 times a day, as a topping, as a spread, as a dressing. You can use it in so many different ways. Plus, it’s creamer and emulsified You can turn it into a dip. You can use it as a creamer in soups. It’s used in hummus, which is one of the most popular ways to use it.”
Harary, who says she even likes tahini on top of ice cream and homemade granola, became obsessed with one of her favorite foods and started SoCo Tahini with fellow Israelis Yonatan Sela and Goni Light. The brand is now available at Heinen’s and select stores in the US.
Now’s a great time to try a SoCo Tahini while helping to fight anti-Semitism and all forms of hate, because throughout November, SoCo is donating 30% of all sales to the Anti-Defamation League. This partnership is natural because SoCo represents the seed of collaboration.
“At our core, we’re an impact-driven brand. Our tahini is a partnership, an Israeli-Palestinian partnership,” said Harari, who moved to Cleveland in 2019 because it was her The city where my mother grew up. “For us, finding different ways to show that people from different places, communities, even conflicted communities, can accept each other, live together, and prosper together. So ADL is our attempt to promote a certain kind of thinking Another way to shift paradigms, reduce divisions and conflicts, and increase acceptance.”
ADL is an anti-hate organization whose mission is to stop slander against Jews and ensure justice and fairness for all. As a global leader in exposing extremism, providing anti-bias education and fighting online hate, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world where no group or individual suffers from prejudice, discrimination or hatred.
ADL Regional Director James Pasch applauds SoCo Tahini’s efforts.
“Partnering with the SoCo and its team means a lot to ADL,” said Pasch. “At a time when we’re seeing a surge in anti-Semitism and hate, we need a whole-of-society approach to addressing the issue head-on. This includes our businesses and business leaders stepping up the fight against hate.
“Partnering with SoCo is critical, a business that cares deeply about our mission and is committed to making our community a better and stronger place for our children. I am so grateful for the thoughtfulness and generosity of the SoCo team. We need to come together What better way to fight hate than by bringing people together over good food.”
While Harary admits that “a lot of people don’t know what tahini is,” SoCo hopes to make up for that by offering more than 100 tahini recipes on its website, eatsoco.com. When visiting during the holidays, tahini makes a great gift for the hosts, she said. The site is the place to buy tahini in jars, squeeze packs and bundles, and buy gift cards.
SoCo Tahini will donate 30% of combined sales of three or more items to ADL by entering the code “ADL” at checkout in November.