APRIL 11 • 2024 | 47
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its hot weather. 
“I realized at some point 
that to grow my business, 
products to keep you warm 
were not so desirable in 
Israel, so I came to the United 
States, where there were more 
opportunities,” said Ross, a 
graduate of Israel’s Bezalel 
Academy of Arts and Design. 
So five years ago, Ross 
with his family moved to 
Michigan — a state that has 
cold weather and a sizeable 
Jewish community in a much 
larger country with a larger 
market for his products. He 
found it easier here to make 
connections with investors 
and banks, and eventually 
leased factory and office space 
in Ann Arbor where all his 
Snook-Ease products are made 
and sold exclusively online. 
Where he once used 
flaxseed, Ross was introduced 
in Ann Arbor to a silicone 

manufacturer that could be 
used to create a variety of 
products in different shapes 
and sizes. Snook-Ease inserts 
warm up in the microwave 
in 60 seconds, and gradually 
release warmth for up to 
30 minutes. The company’s 
patented technology is a 
mixture of natural minerals 
that can be molded into a 
variety of shapes. 
As he looks to expand his 
business, Ross said he is also 
reaching out to markets in 
Canada as well as children’s 
authors and publishers to 
create stuffed animals based 
on the characters in the book 
that can be a soothing bedtime 

companion for children. 
Ross said the special blend 
of natural minerals, especially 
when sewn into the body of 
a plush stuffed animal, can 
be a great source of comfort 
following trauma. Though 
there is nothing solid in the 
works, he said he is pitching 
this product idea to a variety 
of outlets, including children’s 
book authors and publishers. 
He is also networking with 
packaging and materials ideas 
to sell Snook-Ease products in 
retail spaces including some 
big box retailers for later this 
year. 
As he was raised on a 
kibbutz, Ross can identify 

with the sense of closeness 
and security that comes from 
living in such a community. 
He said what is happening 
in Israel now following the 
Oct. 7 attacks is that people 
are seeking out togetherness 
and community, and that 
is sometimes difficult to 
duplicate here in the United 
States. 
“When you live on a 
kibbutz, it is like living among 
a big extended family,” Ross 
said. “Living in the United 
States is sometimes isolating. 
But through the business 
community, I am finding that 
there is a network of Jewish 
investors, fabric designers, 
patent lawyers and others who 
are interested in working with 
me and hearing about my 
products because I am Israeli. 
So although it is not exactly 
like the kibbutz, we still can be 
a big extended family.” 

Heatable products from Snook Ease

B I R M I N G H A M

Member FDIC

We can’t help you 
hold in a sneeze.

But we can help you 
start a business.

Ad Number:
PP-BOAA-23248D
Trim:
7.375" x 4.8"

Perich Job No:
23248
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Colors:
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Format: 
1/2 Page Ad

Version:
03.20.24