It's olive harvest time and Hanukkah is in the air. That's why I'm flying up North to the Annual Olive Branch Festival. In between hiking -- O.K. flying -- and jeep tours, I'm going to learn how to pick and press olives.
Harvesting olives has been going on for thousands of years in the Land of Israel. Have you ever seen an olive tree? They're kinda short and wide like this olive tree in the Galilee which is sooo old they call it ancient.
If you think the oil miracle we celebrate on Hanukkah was vegetable or soy oil, you're wrong. It was olive oil, of course. That makes sense since olives are one of the seven species mentioned in the Bible.
Olives are so rooted to our land that we even have a mountain called Mount of Olives because it once was covered with olive groves. And olive oil? It's about as Israeli as you can get. In fact, anything olive is -- olives, olive branches, olive colored army uniforms. Have a look at our state emblem and this stamp from Israel's early years.
Both have olive branches in their design, very much like the olive branch the dove brought back to Noah -- another Biblical connection!
Enough talk. Gotta go. I have to get to the Olive Branch Festival on time if I'm going to have enough olive oil for Hanukkah. I love lighting my Hanukkiah because olive oil is easily drawn into the wicks, creating a clear, bright light. Do you see what I mean?
Wish me luck in becoming the best olive picker and presser around.
Le'Hitraot.....
Zvuvi
Tree Photo Credit
No comments:
Post a Comment