WHP to sell Israeli items

 BEAUTY and health care products made from minerals found in the Dead Sea in Israel will soon be on the shelves of a pharmacy in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands.

The business will, however, not only be there to make a profit but to assist the community and support Aliyah, or the resettlement of Jews back in the land of Israel.

The pharmacy is the result of a friendship forged between two businessmen Israeli Alexander Barak and Mt Hagen’s Robert Tali. 

The friendship started from a tour Tali took with a number of other Papua New Guineans to Israel several years ago.  

Barak, who arrived in the country last Wednesday on his second trip to the country and to launch the pharmacy, told The National in Port Moresby that he had been drawn to the group of Papua New Guineans and got to know Tali personally. 

To be known as Holy Pharmacy, the shop will sell balms, oils, shampoos and cosmetics made of a combination of natural products and the many minerals deposited in the Dead Sea, which has long been known to have healing properties. 

While in Port Moresby, Barak spoke to Christians about business management and stewardship at a number of locations in the city and also launched an Aliyah project he is working on and hoping to get PNG friends of Israel to assist.

On Saturday, he travelled to Kimbe, West New Britain, and from there, proceeded to Mt Hagen to launch the pharmacy business.  

Barak, the son of survivors of the Holocaust, who immigrated from Ukraine in what was then known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), returned to Israel (made their Aliyah) in 1973 to settle on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.

Like his father, he devoted his time and proceeds from his business to assist in settling other Jewish immigrants.  

His major emphasis at present is in helping especially Ethiopian Jewish immigrants.