These oil presses are doing more than producing olive oil. They’re opening their doors to the public - and you’re invited

Olive oil is mentioned in the Bible as one of the Land of Israel’s seven famed species, and its production process has long been one of the mainstays of Israeli agriculture. As such, olive presses, particularly those situated in the heart of the picturesque Galilee region, are popular school field trip and tourist attractions during the fall harvest season, when oil producers of all sizes open their doors to the public.

A small country, Israel cannot and does not compete with larger markets with respect to the number of olive oil bottles and cans produced. That being said, Israel’s olive oil is renowned for being high-quality and has won many awards over the years.

Israel’s press industry’s history in a nutshell

The production of olive oil from wild olive trees dates back to the Neolithic Pottery period, during the 6th millennium BCE, as evidenced through archaeological findings containing olive pits and other organic material. This, in addition to dozens of special installations identified within rock surfaces.

Over the years and thanks to urbanization and industrialization processes, olive groves were able to be cut out of the forests, cultivated and processed through more and more advanced mechanisms. Today, olives are no longer crushed by stepping on them or rolling an elliptic stone back and forth. Oil presses and mills mass press the precious species, with many of the 19,500 tons of olives pressed each year produced in Israel’s northern Galilee region.

Currently, there are 120 olive oil presses in the Galilee and Golan Heights.

Here are 4 Galilee region oil presses that are leading the olive oil industry in Israel in 2020:

#1 - Galili

Galili Olive Oil is a family-owned company that operates out of Beit Lehem (Bethlehem) Haglilit, a Western Galilee region known for its culinary scene. All operations are executed onsite - from seed planting to bottling, using highly advanced yet small ecological machinery that is capable of processing roughly 150 kilograms of olives every hour. Their boutique mill, brought in from Tuscany in 2010 is a particularly impressive tourist attraction. Visitors can also enjoy the taste of seven oil varieties, fine goat cheese, wines and other scrumptious delicacies - products of local boutique farms. Entry is free. For more information, contact Galili Olive Oil by phone: 04-6899779 or via e-mail: galilioliveoil@gmail.com.

#2 - Lavi

Lavi Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced on a family-owned farm, located near the historic Galilee region city of Zippori. Founded by Shai Lavi, the Lavi olive orchard and farm cultivates Souri olives with the utmost love, care, biologically-friendly pesticides and water-saving irrigation techniques. Their yields are harvested manually, protecting the olive trees from mechanical damage and ensuring superior product, from tree to mill. For more information, contact Lavi by phone: 050-3862728 or via e-mail: galileanolive@gmail.com.

#3 - Galilee Green

Galilee Green is on a mission to “build a warm relationship between those who love and support Israel and the people of the Galilee who have returned to the Biblical Land of Israel” by producing and distributing Galilee-pressed olive oil and exclusive content about the Land of Israel, the Torah of Israel and the Bounty of Israel to customers across the country. Their signature oil is a blend of Barnea, Coratina and Koroneiki olives, creating a smooth and mild oil that leaves the palate with a slight peppery tang and fills the nose with delicate, fruity aroma. For more information, contact Galilee Green by filling out a form on their website: https://galileegreen.com/contact/.

#4 - Sindyanna of Galilee

Sindyanna of Galilee is a female-led non-profit organization that brings together local Arab and Jewish women who, together, produce boutique olive oils and other gourmet food products from their Galilee-region center in Kana, located near Nazareth. Established in 1996, Sindyanna of Galilee is Israel’s only certified fair-trade olive oil producer that fosters peaceful co-existence as an operational goal, actively achieving a “business for peace” goal. What’s more, their products have won international and local awards for quality, flavor and excellence. For more information, contact Sindyanna of Galilee by phone: 04-6516784, or via e-mail: sindyanna@sindyan.org.il.

Bottom line

While olive oil presses and production are not new to the commercial world, as the world as we know it continues to undergo rapid urbanization, digitization and industrialization, some oil presses, like the four ones highlighted above, integrate the stunning, lush expanses of Israel’s Galilee region with innovative production processes, practices and ideologies. For great tasting olive oil whose production makes an impact on more than just your palate, the Galilee region and its many oil presses are a sure bet!

Click hereClick here to discover Galilee’s delicacies, which highlight the amazing olive oil pressed right in Israel’s northern region!