Beit e’Shai

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Rasha Tayeh

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I’m a Palestinian nutritionist, herbalist and artist based in Naarm.

How did you get the initial idea to start your business?

As a way to preserve ancestral wisdom, Palestinian herbalism and traditional Arabic medicine practices and share it with my community. It started as a way for me to stay connected to my home, Palestine, while living in my now other home, Naarm.

Who is involved in running your business? Who is your business partner (if any), or who works together with you?

I mostly run this business on my own, work with freelancers and in busy seasons, I draw on a pool of casual employees. I am currently in the process of exploring potential partnerships and investments for more permanent staff as the business grows.

What’s the best part about running your own business?

I love the magic of herbs and sharing it with the world!

What’s the highlight so far with running your business?

I have been proud of the number and calibre of stockists that have joined the Beit e’Shai family so far! I am always excited when another business owner approaches me to stock Beit e’Shai teas in their store.

Any exciting future plans you can share about your business?

Yes, stay tuned!

Anything else you’d like to tell us about you and/or your team?

Beit e’Shai is a social enterprise with big dreams based in social justice and environmental sustainability. Some of the things we do are:

• Pay The Rent to First Nations people;
• Take care of the planet, the plants and biodiversity by using ethically sourced, sustainable products and processes that save energy, resources and reduce waste;
• Aim to create employment opportunities for people living in the diaspora, with a lived experience of migration, seeking asylum and/or refuge;
• Fundraise to support community-based agriculture in Palestine;
• Preserve ancestral knowledge, Palestinian herbalism and traditional Arabic medicine.