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More than any other plant,
the olive tree symbolizes the Holy Land it has been called The Sacred
Tree... The Peace Tree...Clock of Ages... The Tree of Light and Tree of Legends
The
olive tree represents the Holy Land in all religions. "The olive
tree stands as a perfect personification of man's historical memory
in the Holy Land. It is the tree with the highest endurance and
fruitful capacity. It is the sign of peace between God and mankind.
The olive tree is native to the
Holy Land where it has been cultivated since ancient times.
According to historians, the first olive groves took root in the Holy Land
and along the coast of the eastern Mediterranean around 4,000 B.C.
Growing to heights ranging from 10 to 40 feet (3 to 12
meters), the fruit was used as food and as a source of lamp oil.
The olive tree is a slow growing tree which fills during
the first 7 years of it's life. It is especially productive thought out
her life
Reaching
the age of 200 the trunk disappears, shoots develop at the base of the
trunk
which eventually grow into a new tree, hence the reputation as the
immortal tree. Between April and June a multitude of small, white perfumed
flowers appear in groups under the preceding year's leaves. They only last
a few weeks. One olive is born for about 20 flowers. Normally the first
flowering of normal olive trees only takes place after about 8 years but
flowering for the Holy Land olive trees takes about 40 years!
The Bible contains many references to the culinary and
religious uses of olives and olive oil. In the Book of Genesis the dove
sent out from the ark by Noah returned with an olive branch
(Genesis 8:11). Here it became the great symbol of peace, indicating the
end of God’s anger. And its recognition by Noah suggests that it was
already a well-known tree.
The olive tree is connected to our Christian faith as Jesus
prayed under an olive tree in his way to Jerusalem before his crucifixion and
his crucifixion on an olive wood cross made from the olive wood taken from the
olive trees near the garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.
Jesus
Christ was arrested on The Mount of Olives that fateful night, and He ascended into Heaven from there after His
Resurrection from the tomb. The greatest event of all history will occur
on The Mount Of Olives -
The olive Tree plays a significant role in the life of the people of
the Holy Land from the olive tree the people of the Holy Land get their
olives and from the olives they get their olive oil and from the olive oil
they make their soap and from the trimming of the olive tree the
olive wood carvers make their arts and from the left over the light fire
to cook and for heat.
O live
Oil
“Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let
them pray over him, anointing him with holy oil (=blessed olive oil) in the name
of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall
raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.” James 5:14, 15
The
olive oil is one of the world's greatest and most historically coveted foods.
Throughout history, the olive tree has been the subject of mythology, a sign of
longevity, and a source for excellent wood. From the olive flows olive oil, a
precious commodity that was used historically for food, fuel, the anointing of
kings, industrial lubricant, medicinal balm, soap manufacture, and polishing
finely cut diamonds. The
olive oil has in it a cure for many diseases and
modern Medicine have confirmed the many benefits of the olive oil.
In the Holy
Land when babies are first born, the midwife who delivers them spread olive
oil all over the infant because of the oil's many health benefits, which include
maintaining skin and muscle suppleness. Olive oil can be used to aid in lowering
blood pressure and cholesterol levels, add shine to hair, soothe aching muscles,
heal abrasions, as well as countless other remedies.
Olive Oil
Soap
The production of olive oil soap is produced from
the Holy Land olive oil and caustic soda, this is the same formula
unchanged for two thousand years. The soap is hand made with the same
care, methods, and ingredients used at the time of Jesus and the
prophets."
The Holy Land is a trade mark for the production of olive oil soap with some of
the operating soap factories dating back 350 years.
Older women are traditionally in charge of making olive oil soap - a process
that was passed down from generation to generation they prepare it to the
highest standard of quality. Fragrance-free with 100% pure Holy Land Olive Oil.
Gently cleans and moisturizes, Ideal for extra-sensitive skin and
the people of the Holy Land give credit for having are good skin and hair for
their olive oil soap that they will not trade for anything else in the world.
Olive Tree
Farmers
The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops,
Timothy 2:6
Every year the farmers of the Holy Land pick the olives in the middle of
October.
During the same season, they cut (prune) some of the branches.
The pruning idea is to open
the tree to let the sun well lights the fruits and the foliage inside.
When two olive branches touch each other they will
both become weak but when you take one and leave the other the left branch
will give you the same olives as two branches and the tree will
remain healthy and will live longer!
 Pruning
Methods:
The pruning of olive trees must be done with hand saw not electric because the smoke
that come from the diesel or gas saws affects the taste of olives and the
olive oil and even makes the tree week!
It is said that the olive tree
once spoke to her farmer and told him... Keep my
brother away from me and take his share from
me!
Olive wood
"The Wood is from the tree of
life, those who embrace her; those who lay hold of
her will be blessed." Proverbs 3:18
After
the olive tree is trimmed her
branches are kept for a
few years inside Bethlehem caves. Caves are ideal to  dry the olive wood because
the temperatures of the cave stay the same year round and there is no moisture
or humidity so the wood dry without splitting or cracking and
becomes dry and ideal for carving.
You
can estimate the age of a particular piece by examining its grain. Very old
trees have a dark grain while younger trees exhibit a lighter color.
The dark lines inside this olive wood
trunk tells how old is the tree the more lines the
wood have the older the tree. the dark grains
inside the trunk of the olive wood olive wood
trunks is called the heart of the wood or the jewels and they are what
olive wood carvers and their customers look for.
Bethlehem olive trees are also called
the Roman trees they get their name because they have been living in
Bethlehem and bearing fruits since the time of the Romans and Jesus
time.
  
Bethlehem olive wood is heavy, dense and
durable with a distinctive red pigment in its grain.
All carvings made of this hard wood have a varying and smooth grain,
making every piece extraordinarily unique. It is very difficult to match
the grain of two pieces since the pattern is completely hidden in the
heart of the wood
Once carved, the wood is sanded and coated with
a special varnish to protect it and highlight the texture of the grain. There is no need for oiling or further
treatment of any kind
since olive oil inside the wood is naturally
protecting the wood from corrosions. Since olive is one of the hardest woods on
earth, carvings will easily last a life time and be admired by generations to
come.. As it ages,
it will become darker and even more beautiful.
The
artistically smooth and elegant grain of the olive
wood renders it one of
the most beautiful in the world and olive wood carvings
will easily last a life time and be enjoyed by
generations to come.
All the olive wood figurines and crafts that get produced
in Bethlehem are carved from the trimmings (pruning) of the Bethlehem olive
trees which is an essential process for a healthier growth for the trees
and to generate environmental stability.
So
NO TREE IS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS.
History of the Olive Wood Craft
 
"Isn't this the carpenter's son?
Matthew 13:55
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, Mark 6:3
 The
olive wood artists' craft began in Bethlehem In the fourth century
following the construction of the
Nativity Church,
The Church was built on the traditional birth place of Jesus. At that
time Monks taught the craft to the local resident how to carve olive
wood
and later was
taught from generation to
generation until it was perfected and mastered .Thus
continuing the ancient tradition of beautiful olivewood carvings in the
Holy Land. Its is said that when Jesus worked as a carpenter he
carved olive wood.
Olive Wood
Carvers in Bethlehem Today
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the
house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever, Psalm 52:8
The olive wood carvers of Bethlehem
have suffered dramatically since the current crisis began in the fall of
2000. The overall income of the families has dropped by 90%.The
livelihood and economy of the Holy Land craftspeople are dependent on
the sale of the works they produce most of the artists have closed their
workshops and some have sold their tools, knowing they may never carve
again. Many of them have left Bethlehem to other countries in the search
of their daily bread. Thus threatening the ancient Biblical heritage of
the beautiful olive wood craft and the Christians
presence in the Holy Land.
  
The
olive wood craft depends on simple hand tools and it needs
extraordinary skills lots of patience and
concentration.
The Holy Land Olive
Trees Today
Since the
days of Noah, the olive branch has been a symbol of peace and goodwill.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the war in the Holy Land has often
led to the uprooting of olive tree orchards more than 50,000 olive
trees have been uprooted and destroyed, the sole source of income for
many farmers. The olive tree have traditionally symbolized the spirit of
the Holy Land farmers and their connection to the Holy land a connection
that has remained strong, despite years of war and political unrest.
A group of peace advocates and
international supporters replant an ancient olive tree that was
uprooted in Bethlehem.
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