Meet Shifra Klein | Co-Founder Hamsa Kosher Edibles

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shifra Klein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shifra, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
To be perfectly honest, Hamsa Kosher Edibles was not a choice, it was a necessity. My child was diagnosed with Severe ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) at 2 years old. After 8 years of searching for ANYTHING that would give him some relief, I started to deep-dive into Cannabis as a treatment for Autism. My mind was blown. As an Orthodox Jewish Woman, who keeps a fully Kosher home, I was stunned that there were no Kosher Edible options on the market. I studied the art of the edible and began making my son natural medicinal edibles in my kosher kitchen (under a physician’s orders and care.) People in our synagogue and community began to inquire what I was doing that was causing such a significant positive change in my child. They then began requesting for me to provide them with Kosher Edibles.
Realizing the real demand for this niche market and that I would not be able to financially sustain making edibles for free to give out to the community as I had been doing, I started my first Collective back in 2016. This Collective model grew rapidly to over 250 active patients in its first year, but this model (Prop 215) was phased out in California in 2018 and we would have to pivot to continue to be able to provide Kosher Edibles to those in need.

I joined forces with a real mover and shaker in the cannabis world, Janice Hardoon, owner of Ktown Collective Dispensary on Melrose Ave, who also saw the value and need of Kosher Certified Edibles. Hamsa Kosher was launched in Summer 2022 as the first kosher certified cannabis infused gummies in California.

Janice’s and my vision was to create a product that not only met the needs of the Kosher community, but also the needs of the Halal Community, the Vegan Community and the Gluten Free Community, who are all many times seem to be overlooked when it comes to cannabis infused edibles. Hamsa Kosher is not a brand for one specific community, it is an inclusive brand for ALL communities, giving everyone the chance to find wellness and relief.

What should our readers know about your business?
Hamsa Kosher Edibles are truly groundbreaking as the 1st Kosher Certified Gummies on the California Market, under Whole Kosher Services (WKS). Being Kosher Certified is more than a stamp on our packaging (which we are proud of!). A Rabbi that is an expert in the Biblical Dietary Laws of Kashrut does a full inspection of our manufacturing facility from plant to the packaging of our gummies. Many cultures believe in the concept of ‘Soul Food’. The food you eat sustains you physically, but also has an effect on your spiritual health. This same concept holds true in the Jewish faith.  The importance and adherence of Kosher is taken seriously and as a brand we want people to feel safe and trust that we care about the ‘whole person’ when creating our products. Hamsa Kosher currently offers 4 delicious flavors, Blueberry, Mango, Green Apple and Elderberry Sleep Formula with CBN. We are in R&D with some new exciting flavors, different cannabinoid blends and even Sugar-Free items to meet the dietary needs of diabetics and gastrointestinal diagnoses.

All Hamsa Kosher Edibles are created using water soluble Nano-technology, making it the most effective delivery system available on the market to date. We realize the problems that a typical edible can create, ex: it takes too long to feel the effects, it can be difficult to dose, many people take too much, etc. A Hamsa Kosher Edible will ‘kick in’ around the 10 minute mark, which brings relief faster to the consumer, as well as the reassurance that they can dose to a comfortable state in a short period of time. In addition, all Hamsa gummies are perforated, making it much easier simple to micro-dose.

I have learned to keep my ears open during this process. Listening to the needs of the people has been my greatest asset in building a business catered to wellness. “What do people want? What to they need? What are they asking for that they can’t seem to find and how can I create that for them?” I never leave an e-mail unanswered even if the person lives in Australia and I know I can’t help them from Los Angeles. People are hurting and sometimes the best help we can give them is knowing that they are heard. At Hamsa, we hear you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Los Angeles has so many beautiful and scenic spots, its hard to choose. Our family spends a lot of time at Venice Beach. I have a house of 4 teenagers so we all find something to do there, from renting bikes and riding along the bike path, the Skate Park, renting surfboards, walking the Venice turf and buying tchochkes at the eclectic shops and watching the sunset.

We enjoying heading up the PCH to Pacific Palisades to Will Rogers State Historic Park. It’s a great place to go hiking and see incredible views of both the mountains and the ocean. They hold regular events like movie nights, have lots of picnic area and are dog friendly.

One of our favorite Kosher Restaurants for the family is Lenny’s Casitas on Pico Blvd. We will hit up Lenny’s after a day at the beach. It’s a Mexicali street food taqueria concept that will blow your mind. The vibe is upbeat and the staff is friendly and makes you feel like family. Definitely recommend if you are going with a group to order the board platters. They will bring it to your table with fire crackers and singing! It’s a total vibe!

For a fun and different night vibe, we hit up Beverly Hills Kosher Thai on Burton Way in Beverly Hills. The Pad See Ew and Crying Tiger Beef is out of this world, as well as their Tom Ka Soup and Eggplant Basil Chicken, You can tell them I sent you… oh, and you’re welcome!

After our bellies are full we head over to Sunset to the famous Laugh Factory. They have regular standing comedians weekly (Our favorite is Thursday Nights hosted by comic Tehran w/ local comic, Menachem Silverstein) as well as other special guests performing weekly. Check their website at least 2-3 weeks in advance before tickets sell out to your favorite shows, or show up and try your luck!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am grateful for my Co-Founder Janice Hardoon for all of her support and encouragement. Long before we were business partners, I reached out to Janice looking for help for my child. She was one of the first people to donate cannabis for me to create me own kosher oils for my child’s edibles. Little did I know at the time, Janice was the Cannabis ‘Mitzvah (good deed) Lady” helping many others in the kosher and elderly communities procure products that they needed for healing. Pushing through all of the cannabis rules, regulations, bureaucracies, as challenging as they can be, Janice keeps her head up and fights on. It keeps me motivated, during particular challenging times in an unsteady market. We stay focused on helping people and that gets us through anything else that comes our way.

When I first started exploring the potential of cannabis to treat me son, I came across a Doctor out of San Diego who was treating children and collecting data for medical research on Cannabis and Autism. Dr. Bonni Goldstein is regarded as a top physician in this field and her books really pushed me to move forward with this journey. Cannabis Revealed , followed by her book, Cannabis is Medicine was such an eye opener for me and I’m grateful for her years of research and dedication to this field.

Website: www.hamsakosher.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hamsakosher

Linkedin: @HamsaEdibles

Facebook: facebook.com/hamsaedibles

Image Credits
Photo of 3 people in Hamsa Hoodies on Beach – Photographer Zusha Goldin