Located between Jericho and Qumran, the Balm of the Gilead farm is a dream come true for Guy Erlich, a Jerusalemite who devoted himself to reintroducing the legendary opobalsamon in the Holy Land. The Opobalsamon, also known as balsam, was a shrub that would grow only in extreme heat conditions, and produced a distinct pleasant fragrant oil in very high demand. Humans used it as a perfume, medicine, and in rituals, as burnt incense. Grown only in Jericho and Ein-Gedi, it generated much revenue for the Hasmoneans and King Herod in Roman times. The Muslim conquest ended its production, and eventually, even its botanical identity was lost. Modern research suggests that the legendary perfume was produced from the Commiphora Gileadensis shrub.

The Balm Reintroduced

Planting a 1-acre field of this Arabian bush, Erlich had to wait a decade, but now that the bushes are mature, they produce a distinct, intense, refreshing, and exotic scent. Erlich is finally selling aromatic oil to an essential oil marketing company for profit.

In 2020, he became more famous for combining balsam with olive oil and frankincense with a friend. People infected by COVID-19 reported that swallowing this therapeutic cocktail significantly relieved their symptoms, especially breathing. Since then, Guy has been getting an increasing number of visitors eager to buy the natural remedy and thank him.

Visiting the Balm of the Gilead Farm

Erlich’s farm is next to Kibbutz Almog, adjacent to Road 1. He is open every day and welcomes visitors to his farm.

A tour to Erlich’s farm can be combined in a day tour to the Dead Sea.