Olive Picking in the Community

Olive-picking time is an opportunity for Jews and Arabs to celebrate this unique tree that holds special importance to all. It is a chance to get families out in the beautiful autumn weather, to pick the ripe olives from the village trees and to learn, hands-on, how to press olive oil, preserve olives and bake olive oil-based treats — or just to climb the sturdy trees.

The olive-picking event on the afternoon of October 27 began in the classrooms. The children ate special lunches and learned about these amazing trees before meeting their families and friends in the village olive grove. For an hour or so, the normally peaceful grove was the site of gleeful family activity.

Then it was back to the school grounds for music, performances, crafts and olive-oil stations. Everyone ate mankash – pita baked with olive oil and zaatar – and those who wanted took olives to preserve at home.

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