David Eitam, is an archaeologist who four years ago established More Netofa, a company that produces gourmet olive oil, honey and spice mixtures. He believes that educating the public about olive oil is instumental to his company’s success. To achieve his goal he conducts workshops at his home, in Hararit (in the Galilee), where he introduces attendees to the intricacies of olive oil.

Hearing about olive oil and its production, from someone who specialized in ancient industries in the Holy Land reveals a whole new world, to visitors who attend the 30-45 minute workshop. Olive oil will no longer seem simple. Those who use and like olive oil will no doubt find the experience to be both fascinating and educational. Those who do not use it will surely want to include olive oil in their culinary repertoire.

Workshops include an explanation about olive oil and how it is made, and most importantly – a tasting. In ancient times, the same type of installation (known in Hebrew as gat) was used both for treading olives for oil and grapes for wine, since the growing seasons did not overlap. Like wine, an oil’s taste will vary greatly based on the type of olives the oil is made from, as well as when the fruit was picked and the method of production. Some oils are light green and ‘grassy’ in taste, some are fruity, while others are dark green and bitter with a real ‘kick’ to them. As with wine, what you like is purely a matter of taste. Olive oil (like wine) should be stored in a cool dark place. However, unlike wine, olive oil does not get better with age and should not be kept for more than a year.

There are as it turns out objective measures to tell the quality of olive oil. According to Eitam, the quality is determined primarily via a chemical test. The level of the oil’s acidity determines the grade of the oilHowever, it is the more subjective organaleptic test, which takes into account both taste and aroma, that determines if an individual likes a specific oil or not. Interestingly enough, olive oil (like wine) is best tasted by drinking it, in small quantities (although at More Netofa the host also provides locally made pita bread with which to taste the oil). Oil should not have an aftertaste.

More Netofa is situated in Hararit, a small settlement located at the crest Mt. Netofa, in the lower Galilee. Some of the residents here are involved in tourism, in one way or another. There are a number of Bed & Breakfasts, a teahouse, and a place where concerts are held. For such a small place, Hararit offers quite a bit. Among the newer breed of settlements known as a Yishuv Kehilati, (a communitysettlement), it is a place that affords its residents the opportunity to live in a rural environment without having to take part in the agriculture typically associated with Moshav or Kibbutz life. Hararit was originally established by a group of people who practice transcendental mediation, but today they are only about half the population.

A workshop at More Netofa will provide an opportunity to meet a modern day olive grower/oil producer, and listening to Eitam’s explanations seems to make the people of ancient times, (Philistines, Assyrians and Phoenicians) literally come alive.

More Netofa is located in Hararit, in the Galilee.

06/678-9557 TEL/FAX
053/702634 MOBILE

Email: m.netofa@actcom.co.il

Directions: Take Route # 805 to Route # 784 south until Yodfat junction. Turn onto Route #7955 (# 795) and follow the road to the end, until you reach Hararit.

Visiting Hours: By appointment.

Fees: $12/pp

To learn more about Olive Culture in Ancient Israel, see the related article or read, History Technology of Olive Oil in the Holy Land