Olive Festival: Across the Galilee, Golan, and Valleys, Marking Thirty Years of the Olive Branch Days Festival
The Olive Branch Days Festival is celebrating its 30th birthday, and it's bigger, more diverse, and more promising than ever. From my personal experience at its festive opening ceremony, which took place in the beautiful city of Maghar (October 30, 2025), and from a day of visits and tastings at the sites where it takes place, I am sure that it not only promises, but definitely delivers.
The saying "A good name is better than fine oil" (Ecclesiastes 7:1) is well known, but we have a festival whose good name has traveled far and wide, and at its center is excellent oil, made in Israel, so the two are good. The term oil, as symbolizing wealth and material abundance, we have already encountered in the sources - in the Book of Genesis, in Psalms, in the Song of Songs, and more - and behold, as if thousands of years have not passed, this good land of ours continues to be "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey." After two years of hiatus (war...), the Olive Festival returns and celebrates thirty years of tradition, thirty years of aroma during the harvest season, thirty years of exciting human connections between cultures, families, and visitors from all over the country.
The festival is produced under the leadership of the Galilee Development Authority, the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee and National Resilience, the Olive Branch in the Plants Council, the Galilee Regional Clusters, Restart Galilee from the Ruach Hagalil foundation of Raya Strauss, KKL, tourism professionals, farmers and many partners, who joined together for its existence, from October 30, 2025 to November 22, 2025 and it will spread across dozens of settlements in the Galilee, Golan and Valleys, for members of different religions and denominations - Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Circassians and others - and will include guided tours, workshops, and a variety of activities with an emphasis on strengthening farmers, growers and tourism professionals in the north.
The Olive Branch in the Plants Council and Israeli Oil
The Olive Branch in the Plants Council, is responsible for maintaining the quality of olive oil in Israel, encouraging the production of quality olive oil and raising public awareness of the consumption of quality olive oil with a quality mark of the Olive Branch. Dr. Adi Na'ali - Director of the Olive Branch: "The olive oil branch in Israel has recently undergone a difficult upheaval, which is a great challenge, but also a real opportunity for its advancement, in cooperation with the instructors, producers and marketers. It is important to join forces and restore the trust of all the factors and partners in it, so that together we can promote it and bring it to prosperity."
The olive harvest for 2025 began this month, and it can be said with great pride that despite the challenges - Israeli olive oil is considered one of the best in the world and wins prestigious awards in international competitions. Throughout the north, Galilee, Golan and Valleys, all factors have united to strengthen the industry and drive the economy north, around a festival that will accompany the harvest days and emphasize the return to routine tourism and agricultural activity after the war. During the festival, two special conferences on the subject of olives will take place: an international conference in Eilabun, with the participation of olive oil experts from Greece, and a professional conference at Tel Hai Academic College.
The Olive Branch and the growers call on olive oil consumers to look for the quality mark of the Olive Branch (in the form of a green drop) when purchasing olive oil, which indicates original and high-quality Israeli olive oil, and which is the only guarantee of the quality and origin of the product. The Olive Branch continues its constant struggle against the widespread phenomenon of counterfeiting in the market, most of which comes through imports and some of which is carried out in the country.
Photo 753 = Representatives of 'Meshak Ruinik' from Beit Shearim with their oil products. Photo by Shosh Lahav
What I experienced in the Lower Galilee
So what did we have on a day of visiting, getting acquainted and tasting: In Beit Lehem HaGlilit is Bostan Eitan Derech Hazait. In a meeting with the Ben David family, we were introduced to third-generation olive farmers. Between oil tastings and light refreshments based on Israeli oil, explanations were given and the new coffee cart was presented; In Bostan we also met the representatives of 'Meshak Ruinik' from Beit Shearim, who shared the family story and presented their special products; In Avtalion we visited the olive press and tasted the best salads from the chef of the Atra restaurant, a culinary experience worth it.
The magnificent views of the Lower Galilee fascinate us, beautiful olive groves shimmer in the changing colors of green, and then we arrived at the settlement of Deir Hanna in the Sakhnin Valley, in the northern central Lower Galilee. In the home of Dr. Ali Mazen, he explains and demonstrates to us the pickling of olives, alongside warm pita bread and tasty labneh; We did not give up in Deir Hanna on a visit to the ancient olive tree vineyard, some of which are about 3000 years old. Amazing;
In the settlement of Maghar we visited the active and modern olive press, Al Bustan, and were privileged to receive explanations from Talie Saleh, who makes sure the place is gleaming with cleanliness. The finale of a magical day in the Lower Galilee was at the opening event of the festival, which was hosted by Dr. Thair Kizal - the mayor of Maghar, an impressive and eloquent young man, who excitedly told that the settlement is celebrating 70 years. Congratulations!
A few numbers: The overall consumption of olive oil in Israel ranges between 25,000 and 30,000 tons per year. Israel produces about 18,000 tons of olive oil, and the rest is expected to arrive by import from Jordan, Turkey, Spain, Greece and Italy. The marketing of the oil is divided into several marketing channels: about 10,000 tons of olive oil are produced from traditional orchards and are mostly consumed within Arab society; about 5,000 tons of olive oil are marketed in the institutional market, including restaurants, hotels, catering, etc.; another 5,000 tons are marketed on social networks, in factory stores and directly from the producers; the rest of the olive oil, which amounts to about 10,000 tons, is marketed in retail chains, most of which is imported from other countries.
The olive tree is an alternate-bearing tree, its yields vary from year to year. This year's harvest is characterized by a year of decline, with this year's forecast standing at only about 50% of the yield recorded last year. In the Galilee, Golan and Valleys area, there are about 45 active olive presses. The multi-year average of olive oil production in Israel stands at about 17,000 tons, but this year a dramatic decrease in production is expected due to the ongoing drought.
The festival is a wonderful opportunity to go north to the Galilee and take part in an experiential journey to the beating heart of traditional and advanced agriculture in the Galilee, to tourist sites, restaurants and visitor centers, where quality olive oil tastings, a visit to authentic olive presses, participation in activities for the whole family, live performances, workshops, tours and warm home hospitality await you as only in the Galilee can be experienced. A meeting with local producers, traditional flavors alongside culinary innovation, good neighborliness and diverse cultures that beat together - all open a door and heart at the height of the harvest season.
To the festival website and registration for the various events:
Photo 217 = Olive Festival - a celebration for members of all religions and denominations. Photo by Shosh Lahav
