“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.”—Psalm 52:8
The Bible mentions olives and olive trees often enough that it’s hard to miss the hint that the fruit of the trees are significant!
Mankind has cultivated olives for thousands of years for food, cosmetics, and use in sacred oil. Olives have bolstered the economies of many nations.
According to the Global Market for Olive Oil[i], the Mediterranean produces more than 97.5% of all olive oil in the world. Spain has long dominated the market, producing more olive oil than any other country on Earth… but watch out, because there’s a new country on the block!
Israel: The Land of Olive Oil
“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing…”—Deuteronomy 8:7-9
Olive trees have been significant to Israel since their beginning. The very emblem of Israel features a menorah surrounded by olive leaves to signify miracles and peace. Today, Israel’s olive oil industry is growing and thriving, much like the country itself.
In the early 1990s, Israel’s olive oil production increased by 19 times!
Israel is ranked 18th in the world for olive oil production, while the United States is 16th. The top three producers are Spain, Italy, and Greece, respectively. But around the world, Israel is becoming well known for producing special and historically significant oil.
Quality over Quantity: How Israeli Olive Oil Is Unique
While Israel’s olive production is rising along with global demand for olive oil, the reputation of quality olive oil from the Holy Land dates back long before Spain, Greece, or Italy ever became countries!
The Holiest Oil
In ancient times, as described in Exodus 30, spiced olive oil was used to anoint priests in sacred rituals. In those times, it was restricted to only be used by people who were “authorized” or priests, but Revelation 1:6 indicates that those who believe in Yeshua are priests! Therefore, they are authorized by the Lord to use the holy oil. That means the King’s Oil, which is still made today and sourced from the Holy Land, can be used by you to anoint!
“It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.” —Isaiah 10:27 (emphasis added)
Holy Land, Holy Water
It's no secret that Israel's olives are unique, but what's the secret to making them taste different? Experts say it is the water.
Israel is mostly a desert, and while water is hard to come by, the Israelis have found ways to access and most efficiently use what is available around them! In Israel, most of the drinking water comes from desalination plants that process seawater from the Mediterranean into pure water.
Sometimes, plants can handle a little bit of salt. In this case, the Israelis use brackish water for their olive trees!
Israel is the world leader in water recycling, and pioneers in halophyte agriculture—or growing plants in salty environments. Read more about how they have a water surplus in the desert here!
Striving for Self-Sufficiency
The significant controversy with olive oil, is that much of the olive oil on the shelves may not necessarily be 100% pure olive oil. In order to “get the taste right” (or perhaps, put affordable olive oil on the market shelves), many companies are blending Israeli-made oil with olive oil from countries like Spain!
Currently, regulations mandate that olive oil blends with as little as 35% Israeli-sourced oil can be labeled as made in Israel. And the people of Israel are adamant about changing that. They have the right and the means to further olive oil production, to support their economy, and to literally enjoy the fruits of their labor!
And My Olive Tree is committed to helping them.
Help Support Local Farms in Israel
When we plant olive trees in Israel, we are also planting seeds that will help grow the local economy. Israel’s mighty nation was built on the foundation of farmers who regathered from all over the world to transform their lives, and they also ended up transforming the desert in the process!
Believe it or not, there is an abundance of space in Israel. Even though Israel is roughly the size of the US state of New Jersey, and more than half of its land is desert…the unused and uninhabited wasteland is full of potential—with God’s guidance, we have found ways to transform it.
“The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose…” —Isaiah 35:1
Our goal here at My Olive Tree is to plant one million olive trees in the Negev Desert, and we need your help to do this!
Each and every tree that sets its roots into the desert sand helps retain moisture and nutrients so that other plants can also grow near it. And that is how the transformation of the Negev Desert begins.
What was once seen as a useless, barren wasteland is now seen as an opportunity with untapped potential. Israel has invented extraordinary ways to make desert farming not only possible, but also profitable. Find out more about how your investment pays off by downloading our FREE investment guide today!