When Will Cohen and Ben Kraim first started Tokin’ Jew, they were not trying to launch a business. They were two friends exploring the overlap between Judaism, cannabis, and community, laughing their way into something bigger.
Today, the Brooklyn-based brand is part meme page, part kosher edible company, part community builder, and part reimagining of what it means to be both Jewish and a cannabis consumer in 2025.
As cofounder Ben puts it, “We like to say that Tokin’ Jew is the intersection between Judaism and cannabis, and we are on a mission to destigmatize weed in the Jewish world and destigmatize Judaism in the cannabis world.”
Rituals, tradition, and the plant
The connection runs deeper than novelty branding. For Cohen, the ritual nature of both worlds creates natural synergy.
“Judaism is such a ritualistic religion, tradition-based,” he says. “And similarly, cannabis has that ritual base to it, right? Puff puff pass, no white lighters. There are all these traditions embedded in cannabis. It is funny to bring those intersections together.”
He adds a few theories about the long association. “There is historical and archaeological stuff people point to. I also joke that Jews have really bad stomachs, alcohol has never been great for us, so maybe cannabis became another way to unwind. Judaism is a religion of curiosity, and cannabis opens up that third eye. In typical Jewish fashion, there is no one right answer.”
Ben points to food and Shabbat as natural touchpoints. “So much of Jewish culture is connected to food, and cannabis and food are best friends. Observant Jews from Friday night to Saturday night do not touch fire or electricity, so if they want an elevated experience, edibles go a long way. Jews love that kind of hack for a more enjoyable 24 hours.”
From meme page to movement
The origin story starts with a menorah, a joint, and a very Jewish thought about efficiency. In college, Cohen says, “I remember looking at the menorah and sparking a joint shortly thereafter and thinking, why can’t I smoke my menorah? I have to use the lighter two times.” That bit became the first product, the J-menorah, and the name Tokin’ Jew. The page took off as a community of memes and in-jokes.
Then a string of early retail opportunities collapsed because the word “Jew” was seen as too controversial. “We went from five awesome take-our-brand-to-the-next-level opportunities to zero,” Ben says. “We told the story online and got a thousand DMs in three hours. People said, ‘This brand changed my relationship with Judaism,’ or ‘I am not even Jewish and you are my favorite account,’ or ‘My uncle owns a dispensary, here is his email.’ That is when a really sad moment turned into a holy s***, we are on to something moment.”
Community, online and off
“Community is our survival mechanism as a religion,” Ben says. “It is how we have survived. The way Jews build community could be a blueprint for everyone. Events are hard, but it is always worth it when you hear one-on-one feedback.”
Cohen adds, “People see our page and think you have to be Jewish to follow Tokin’ Jew. Some of our favorite comments are from people who are not Jewish. They see a rabbi on their screen, stop the scroll, the rabbi hits a bong, and it cuts through preconceived notions. We get, ‘This makes me 1 percent less antisemitic.’ It is not good, but it is also good. We are creating a new perspective.”
Kosher edibles, Jewish flavors, and doing it right
After years of merch and accessories, Tokin’ Jew launched a kosher gummy line with flavors that play on Jewish tradition and inside jokes. “Most edibles on shelves have gelatin, which is not certified,” Cohen says. “We wanted the 50-year-old Jewish mom who is nervous to go into the dispensary to feel like she can trust our products.”
There is pomegranate for the 613 commandments, “Apple of My High” for Rosh Hashanah, and “Guava Negila,” a passion-fruit-guava nod to a wedding classic. They even achieved Passover certification. “It is ten times harder than year-round kosher,” Ben says. “Shoes off at the door so no bread crumbs get into the room where gummies are processed. Expensive and tedious. But we did it.”
That standard is guided by a familiar voice. “There is an imaginary mom and bubby in the back of our minds,” Ben says. “Every decision about extraction methods or ingredients, we are thinking about that mom who just wants to trust us to give her the good stuff.”
The dinner table: infused Shabbat
Tokin’ Jew’s most vivid expression of culture and cannabis is the infused Shabbat dinner. At a recent event, guests received a joint at their place setting, gummies circulated like hors d’oeuvres, and several courses included optional five-milligram sauces in individual containers.
“We gave a little instructional speech at the beginning,” Ben says. “The last thing we want is anyone to get too high. If you are a pro and your dose is 30, here is how to pace it. If it is your first time, start low. If you do not want to get high at all, enjoy a delicious meal. Couples come where one likes to get high and the other does not. We want everyone to have a good time.”
For culinary collaborators, they have worked with Chef Iris Rosinski and are now teaming with the wildly funny and talented Chef Tova.
Cohen says, “Everyone gets joints when they walk in. It is a really cool experience.” Ben adds, “Our last dinner sold out fast. This one is already most of the way there.”
Design DNA and flavor philosophy
Tokin’ Jew’s visual identity came from the community. “We run a yearly T-shirt contest,” Cohen says. “Our first winner, Mitch Weiss, is a Philly-based designer and creative director. Because of the success of the shirt, we brought Mitch onto the team. Mitch helped develop our packaging, new website, and brand guidelines.”
Flavors get the same care. “We wanted crowd-pleasers with room for creativity,” Cohen says. “We tested a few that did not cut, then rolled out mango, ‘Stoned Fruit’ peach, ‘Apple of My Heart,’ and ‘Guava Negila.’ It is about taste, story, and a grin.”
Personal rituals and functional cannabinoids
Ben’s personal ritual is simple. “Daily, it is a 5 to 6 p.m. joint. If I smoke too late, I will never sleep. For movies or a full unwind, I will do edibles, sometimes up to 60 milligrams.”
Cohen prefers flowers and joints too, with one edible exception. “Our CBN gummy ‘Grape Full Dead’ is my go-to for sleep.” Ben is a convert to THCV. “Our apple gummy has a low dose of THC and THCV, the so-called Adderall adjacent cannabinoid. I thought it was BS. I was an Adderall kid. But it really gives me that restart. From ‘I am in a rut’ to ‘let’s work on spreadsheets for three hours.’”
New York now, everywhere soon
Ben believes New York is the future. “I think New York will be the hub for cannabis in America. The culture is so strong. Even before legalization, you could not walk down the street without smelling good herb. Between the OCM, politics, real estate, and licenses, it has been a mess, but there have been wins on equity compared to some states.”
They are taking a measured approach to product expansion. “We are going to get into all categories,” Ben says. “We like to perfect each thing at a time, not go crazy and have subpar products.” On the regulated side, Cohen adds, “State by state licensing deals are the goal. Regulation is a full-time job. We are building toward it.”
What keeps them going is simple. “It is the comments and DMs,” Cohen says. “‘I feel reconnected to my Judaism through Tokin’ Jew.’ ‘I love this brand.’ People ask us to hire them all the time. We are still small, but it is clear we created something. It is bigger than Ben and me.”
Ben nods. “We did not wake up saying, we are here to help Judaism. We were just trying to do something cool, genuine, and positive. Then people told us it made them feel a little less hate in the world. How could we not pay attention to that?”
