Ah… the sacred olive trees. Many of them, thousands of years old, have stood throughout the years in the holy lands to provide and to serve. They have witnessed humanity’s peaks and downfalls, history’s breakthroughs, and the future’s developments. Yet, every year, they stand still for the same purpose; to provide and to serve. There is much that we can learn from the sacred olive trees.

It is olive harvesting season in Palestine and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Indeed, the arid lands in Palestine provide the ideal environment for the growth of the olive tree. Most of them are thousands of years old and were cultivated about 5000-6000 years go.

Every year, in the late Autumn months of October and November, Palestinian families gather to collect their olive harvest. Some use the new harvest for the development of olive oil, and others, for the flavorful olives. Olive oil is a fundamental component of Palestinian cuisine, and it is not rare to see it used a wide range of foods ranging from savory dishes to sweets.

The production of olive oil is of utmost importance to the Palestinian economy in terms of food production. It is the only source of sustenance for many families as well. It is no wonder that the trees are deemed as “sacred” universally across various cultures and religions.

There is something incredibly enchanting about the olive groves. Their evolution through the millennia has been slow but fruitful. You can almost see the history of the trees through their deep wrinkles. Each one has its own character. Each one tells a story.