From Aliyah to Apothecary: How We Built Salves of Jerusalem

By Simcha Gluck, Chief Salve Maker, Husband, and Abba

Most people think I got into skincare. But the truth is, I got into healing.

The story of Salves of Jerusalem didn’t start with chamomile or calendula. It started with big questions: What does it mean to live a life of purpose? What does real healing look like—spiritually, emotionally, physically? And how can I take the blessings I’ve been given and turn them into something that serves others, while I still continue trying to "figure it out."?

Coming Home to Jerusalem

In 2006, my wife and I made aliyah. We were honored to be featured by Nefesh B’Nefesh as their “10,000th olim,” but the real milestone was internal. We didn’t come here just to live in Israel—we came to build in Israel. We had no idea what that would look like. But we knew this was the land where the deepest kind of life could grow.

It took years to find our footing. Our first venture in the health space in Israel didn’t work out. It hurt. But sometimes you’re early, sometimes it’s not the right container, and sometimes Hashem just says—not yet. You can’t force something to ripen. You plant, you water, and then you let Hashem handle the harvest.

We kept growing. And eventually, the right seeds took root.

From Self-Work to Soul Work

Years earlier, in New York, we had been leading the NYC sales office for Cutco Knives. That’s where we discovered the power of personal growth and transformation—first through entrepreneurship, and then through Landmark Education. That early self-development work cracked open a lifelong commitment to learning, leading, and aligning with deeper purpose.

Fast forward to Jerusalem—after over a decade of navigating infertility, we were finally blessed to become parents. That gift reset everything. It gave us clarity, humility, and an urgent drive to live in a way that honors the gifts of life and health.

That’s when I started playing around with wellness more seriously. First it was kombucha. Then wheatgrass. Then came herbs. Somewhere along the way, a good friend who had lived for years among the Amish taught me how to make healing salves.

And boom—something ancient inside me lit up.

The Kitchen Became a Kodesh Lab

I don’t know how else to explain it except to say: I felt like the Kohen Gadol in my own home. (I’m only a Yisroel, but still.) My mother’s side is 3rd and 5th generation Jerusalemite Rabbis and mystics. Something about the whole process—sourcing pure herbs, heating oils, infusing them with kavana (intention), blending earth and purpose together—felt like it tapped into that priestly lineage.

It became a sacred practice. One I now get to share with others.

Upstairs in the Herbalism Studio

Today, I make Salves of Jerusalem in our herbalism studio on the top floor of our Jerusalem home. I run 2.5-hour salve-making workshops a few times a month in the living room downstairs, where I walk people through the full hands-on process. It’s a Jerusalem experience like no other.

Our salves are infused with indigenous herbs of the Land of Israel—frankincense, myrrh, lavender, chamomile, calendula, and more—blended with organic black Suri olive oil from a 40-year-old family farm in the Ella Valley and golden beeswax from Galilean beekeepers. Many customers come through our studio, and you’ll find us at occasional farmers markets around Israel, where I love connecting directly with people, sharing stories, and offering samples straight from the source.

Why Salves? Why Now?

More and more, people are waking up, thank God. They don’t want chemicals anymore. They don’t want 17-syllable ingredients or fancy packaging that hides toxicity. They want healing they can trust. They want something close to the earth, something rooted in Torah and real wisdom.

I believe we’re living in a time of both great shakiness and great opportunity. People are looking for grounding. For meaning. For health. And it feels good, being able to offer a tiny but powerful way to access that—through their skin, directly into their bloodstream, and hopefully into their consciousness.

Our skin is not a shield—it’s a sponge. When you apply a salve made with organic calendula, chamomile, or helichrysum, those plant properties go directly into your system. They nourish the skin, calm inflammation, support healing, and send messages to your body that it is safe, held, and supported. That’s real wellness.

What We Make

We make about a dozen salves regularly—Herbal Family Salve, Magic Muscle Balm, Organic Baby Butter, Happy Hand Balm, Organic Deep Breathe, and two really yummy Lip Balms (Mint and Cinnamon) as well, rooted in biblical ingredients like olive oil, myrrh,  frankincense, and more.

Every ingredient we use is there for a reason. No fillers, no fluff, no compromise. If I wouldn’t put it on my kids, it doesn’t go in the jar.

Our products are handmade, blessed, and often poured while my three wild, energetic (and yes, difficult) boys are playing outside. It’s a family business in every sense of the word. 

What’s Next

We’re always exploring new ideas — A new Natural Sunscreen Salve, Biblical Beard Balm, Black Charcoal Toothpaste, Minty Moringa Soap, Organic Bug Repellant, and lots more coming down the pipeline, God willing!

Sometimes we offer bundles through WhatsApp or Instagram. Other times it’s through a private workshop or a random popup at a Farmers' Market. The point is: this isn’t a faceless brand. It’s me, my family, my heart, and my home.

You don’t need a fancy background in skincare to know what your body needs. You just need to come back to something real. And I’m here to help you do that, one tin or jar at a time:)

—

Simcha Gluck
Chief Salve Maker, Salves of Jerusalem
Herbalist. Workshop Host. Husband. Abba.
Home-made in Jerusalem. Torah-Rooted. Healing-Minded.