 There is a strong tradition of home baking in Israel arising from the years when there were very few bakeries to meet demand.Many professional bakers came to Israel from Central Europe and founded local pastry shops and bakeries, often called "konditoria", thus shaping local tastes and preferences.There is now a local style with a wide selection of cakes and pastries that includes influences from other cuisines and combines traditional European ingredients with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients, such as halva, phyllo dough, dates, and rose water.