Gad Dairy

About a hundred years ago, Ezra Cohen and his wife Levana would milk their only cow in eastern Turkey, heat the milk on a Primus stove, add yogurt, and begin the cheese-making process. They wrapped the cheese in thin cloth, hung it in the yard, then transferred it with salt to wooden barrels to develop its flavors, much like wine. The cheese was ready when Ezra decided. A few years later, the Cohen family immigrated to Israel, joined the Jewish community in Gaza, and continued their cheese-making traditions. The milk from their cattle and sheep went through the same process, waiting in wooden barrels for Ezra's approval. In the 1930s, the family moved to central Israel, expanding their cheese selection with more Balkan varieties, selling them at their family store "Cohen Dairy" in Tel Aviv's Levinsky Market. In the 1960s, Ezra's son, David, established another dairy specializing in Balkan cheeses, passing down the cheese-making secrets through generations. Ezra Gad Cohen, named after his grandfather, started in the cheese business before his military service, delivering cheeses in his yellow Beetle. He eventually founded "Gad Dairies," which he manages today. The family's Balkan cheeses were joined by Italian varieties like mozzarella, ricotta, mascarpone, and pecorino, which Ezra learned to make in Italy. These cheeses became popular in Israel, allowing chefs to recreate authentic Italian flavors with local produce. Today, "Gad Dairy" is the fourth-largest in Israel, offering a wide range of products, including Balkan and Italian cheeses, New York-style cream cheeses, French-style cheeses, premium yogurts, and dairy desserts. The dairy combines modern technology with family secrets passed down through generations. Ezra Gad Cohen remains the sole taster, deciding when the cheeses are ready for market.