The Lasting Strain on Israeli Olive Growers Six Months After Devastating Attack
The October 7th attack came as olive growers were preparing for the harvest and fundamentally changed how Israelis feel about their country. “The Israeli population as a whole finds itself in a state of trauma, grappling with the complex dynamics of the war in Gaza.”
Our team is quoted at length in this thoughtful article from the Olive Oil Times, ending on this hopeful note from Hadas Lahav:
“Amidst this backdrop, fear and suspicion have deepened between Jews and Arabs. However, the trust we have built [between these two communities] over the years has proven resilient even in these difficult times. Our shared vision for a life marked by mutual respect and freedom continues to bind us, and we believe it will prevail.”
The Light Shining Through the Cracks
In the shadow of this terrible war, the women of Sindyanna invited the Bonot Alternativa (Women Building an Alternative) community to join their annual volunteer harvest. On Saturday morning, November 18th 2023, just a day before the rains started, about 500 women, men and children from all over the country ‘raided’ Sindyanna’s olive grove in the Jezreel Valley for a joint Jewish-Arab olive harvest. Read the entire article.
The Farmers Making Olive Oil (Not War)
Jewish Renaissance Magazine featured Sindyanna in its Winter 2023 edition. Nadia Giol, co-manager of our visitor center and chief facilitator, was interviewed saying “You can’t stop a conflict of a century in one day, but women from all sectors of society have to work together towards peace. One hand can’t clap alone!”
She’s Extending an Olive Branch – While Lifting Women Up
A Story Exchange article features Sindyanna’s founder Hadas Lahav. As she says in the Q&A: “We created a new line of premium olive oils through a unique collaboration: bringing together the children of our employees to create colorful artwork for our new labels. They were asked to illustrate ideas of optimism, togetherness and hope. Speaking two different languages, yet united by endless colors, the children created instant bridges between the two cultures. The result? A very hopeful bottle of extra virgin olive oil.”
‘Scottish Grove’ Coratina and Piqual Olive Oil Scoops Awards
Our award-winning olive oils are featured in The Herald and in a Church of Scotland article which focus on the olives grown on our groves using funds provided by the Church of Scotland.
“Over a period of ten years, the land has been transformed into a flourishing organ olive grove producing extra virgin olive oil that is now sold all over the world. The… project is a “model of co-operation” between Jewish and Palestinian Israelis. The Scots Hotel uses Sindyanna Oil exclusively. We always knew it was the best and now it has the awards to prove it.”
Pressing for Peace in the Holy Land
Artzabox featured Sindayanna in a ‘Meet the Artisan’ Facebook Story. “In the city of Cana in the Galilee, there is an award-winning olive oil factory and a unique non-profit looking to make changes for the better from the ground up. It may surprise you to learn that they are one and the same. If you have a trip planned to Israel, stop by Sindyanna!”
Producers in Israel Reap Benefits of Record Harvest
Sindyanna is featured in this Olive Oil Times article with Hadas Lahav saying that “The olive oil sector is where economy and cultures integrate most successfully. Arabs, Jews, Israelis and Palestinians all come together with the joy and tiredness of harvest days.”
Our consultant Ehud Soriano kicks off the article saying that “The yield is high, and we expect a record year for both olives and olive oil. After two years of low yields, we expected this season to be much better. So far, it is beyond our expectations for both quantity and quality.”
Arab-Israeli Peace Through Olive Oil
“In Israel’s Galilee, a group of Arab and Jewish women work together to produce and market fair trade olive oil. They are working to create change from the ground up, with all profits going to support education and economic opportunities for Arab women.”
Watch this short Voice of America video article about Sindyanna with Linda Gradstein and Ricki Rosen reporting from Kafr Kanna.
Supporting women, sustainability and the modernization of the fields
“Most of the funding from ARTOLIO will be directed towards the modernization of the infrastructure and the achievement of the Organic certification. Even though some of the farmers from the association already achieved the organic seal, the aim is to encourage all of them to do so. “Achieving the status of organic olive oil is important because it shows the farmers are willing to go through the proper regulations and inspections, thus giving them opportunities to compete and thrive in a bigger market”, says Hadas Lahav, general manager and one of the founders of Sindyanna of Galilee.”
Read this article about our participation in the ARTOLIO project from ENI CBC Mediterranean – the largest Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) initiative implemented by the EU under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI).
Meet the Women Who Harvest the Land in Israel
For International Women’s Day 2021, Israel21c published a profile of Hanan Zoabi Manadre, our manager of social projects and women’s empowerment. Click through to the article and get to know Hanan and her work at Sindyanna.
“It’s an activity through which we show the close cooperation and through which we show both societies [Arab and Jewish] that we can have a cooperative economy, cooperative work, that we can build a more just and equal society.”
Olive Trees Have a Long History
From Canada’s Jewish Independent newspaper comes a great article about the history and politics of the olive tree in our region, and specifically about Sindyanna, our mission and our fair trade products.
“While the olive branch is a symbol of peace, the olive harvest in both Israel and the Palestinian territories is a challenging time… Despite this gloomy picture, however, there are promising things happening in Israel’s olive industry.”
In the Land of the Olive Tree: From Harvest to the Perfect Oil
Lovely article in Israel Today about how Sindyanna of Galilee has developed over more than 20 years from one small room to producing oil which is “nothing short of outstanding”, winning international prizes and selling all over the globe.
Hebrew version | English version
Sindyanna in Deli Business Magazine
Sindyanna was featured in an article about the healthy Mediterranean cuisine – “While many Mediterranean foods come with stories going back centuries, one Middle Eastern enterprise offers a line of products that are in high demand. “The story behind our products has become more attractive; Arab and Jewish women in Israel working together to build bridges and create social impact on their societies,” says Hadas Lahav, who serves as CEO at Sindyanna of Galilee. “International awards for our olive oils, including ‘one of the 100 top olive oils in the world’ in Evoleum 2018, have placed Sindyanna’s olive oil among the best and most premium olive oil on the shelves.”
You can read the full article on our website.
Among the World’s Best Olive Oils: An Israeli Olive Oil
Sindyanna of Galilee produces an olive oil that was included in a prestigious international list of the world’s best. In the “Israel Festival” currently celebrated by the American chain FAIRWAY, Sindyanna’s oil will be featured with many other blue-and-white products. An Israeli success story.
Read the entire article in Hebrew or in English.
Sindyanna in the Jerusalem Post
“The female-led organization promotes the concepts of business for peace and the Fair Trade movement in Israel. Sindyanna offers educational help and economic opportunities to Arab women, teaching them a trade and helping them to find job opportunities. It creates harmony and cooperation between Jews and Arabs at a time when many seem to have an interest in widening the gaps rather than closing them.”
An article by Adam Montefiore in the Jerusalem Post.
Recent mentions of Sindaynna
“In the lush and fertile north of the country, close to the sea of Galilee, is Sindyanna, a non-profit organization of Arab and Jewish women working together to make olive oil and associated premium products.” – an article in Food Manufacture UK.
“Sindyanna – creating social change from the ground up” – an article in Food Navigator.
Wonderful article in Olive Oil Times
Alexis Kerner published a great article about Sindaynna in the important magazine Olive Oil Times. This is what Alexis wrote to us: “In a time of uncertainty, we can look to this beautiful project that brings Arabs and Jews together for inspiration. Thank you for reminding us Hadas that we can work together in peace and with respect and that we can even celebrate our differences together! Toda Raba! I toast to your olive oil! ”
Great coverage in Forbes
“Since ancient times, the olive branch has symbolized peace, victory and purity. So it’s not too much of a stretch to think that olive oil could also be a potent force for change in the troubled Middle East. Certainly, that’s the hope and conviction of social activist Hadas Lahav, the CEO of Sindyanna of Galilee.” (full article on forbes.com)
Sindyanna in Israel Travel News
“(Sindyanna) channels all of the profits back into Arab women education while bridging cultural divides, encouraging sustainable agriculture and supporting organic farming and farmers.” (full article on pages 26-28)
What Peace Means To Me (NPR Radio)
NPR’s Lourdes Garcia-Navarro has been taking a journey talking with people in both Israel and the Palestinian territories. She begins this report in a small Arab village, an Arab village inside Israel. Read or listen to the full interview with Haviva on NPR Radio.
LOURDES GARCIA-NAVARRO: Once a week Haviva Ner David comes from her Jewish town, Hanaton, to the nearby Arab village of Kfar Manda to basket weave with local women. Haviva is a rabbi who does a lot of work with Jewish couples about to get married. She is not really part of any peace movement. She just wanted to try something different, she says.
Ms. HAVIVA NER DAVID (Rabbi): When I lived in Jerusalem, you could live your life as a Jew in Jerusalem, never really talking to Arabs. And so, from the beginning I said to myself these are my neighbors and I want to have some kind of interaction with them.
For more details, you can read the article One Flotilla Response: Weave Baskets of Peace written by Rabbi Haviva Ner David.
Sindyanna Featured in the Guardian!
The Guardian published an article about Sindyanna today. ”We’re creating real economic opportunities for Arabs and Jews by uniting producers around a common goal: supporting their families and achieving positive transformation in the community,” says Hadas Lahav, chief executive of Sindyanna. ”And in doing so, we’re showing international customers that the situation in the Middle East is not black and white. There is a will to create change.”
Sindyanna Covered in Time Out Israel
Sindyanna’s olive oil (and our photos) were highlighted in David Rhodes’ article about the world of Israeli olives and the best local varieties. You can read the full article on the Time Out site (pages 18-24). He writes: ”As an established symbol of peace, olives and their oil can play a great role in promoting home and cooperation in the region. Israel’s President Shimon Peres sparked a peace initiative between Israel, Jordan and Palestinian authorities to plant a million olive trees in the Jordan River valley. Whether these trees are more valuable for baring oil-producing fruit or as a visible and tangible symbol of peace, visitors and residents of Israel will surely benefit and relish the results.”
Hadas Lahav, Woman of the Week (La’Isha Magazine)
Hadas Lahav is CEO of Sindyanna of Galilee, a Fair Trade association that provides employment for Arab women. The company’s olive oil has recently won first prize in the First Harvest (Rishon Hamasik) competition, run by Israel Olive Growers’ Association. Read the translated article.
Weaving Their Way to Employment
What began as an idea to help Arab farmers market olive oil is realized today at Sindyanna, with further goal of empowering Arab women. An article in the Jerusalem Post by Tali Hardevall.
An Israel Today article (in Hebrew) in which the journalist says “this week I tasted Sindyanna’s olive oil that was recently picked at their grove in Roha and it was the best oil that I have tasted this harvest season!”
ESRA Magazine Article
Hanan Manadre Zoabi wrote “There’s no time for idle gossip as Fatmah gets weaving” about how our basket weaving courses benefit their participants. As Fatmah Haj says in the article “The first basket I weaved took me back years, to the time I taught craft at school: sewing, basket weaving, crocheting, drawing on canvas and glass. I was greatly moved. It was wonderful to go back to craft work after so many years.”
Fair Peace Fair Trade Article and Interview
An article in Italy’s La Repubblica about the Fiera del Levante in Bari and the Sustainability Fair in the Pincio in Fano where Sindyanna’s products were displayed. Osnat Shperling, Sindyanna’s representative, and Suzan Sahori, president of the Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans, were present at the shows.
Also, Dani Ben Simhon was interviewed in Italy last month as Sindyanna’s representative during the visit of the Fair Peace Fair Trade project partners, which was organized by COSPE. Read the interview (in Italian).
Save Oasis in the Media
On May 9, 2014, we held a protest rally at Oasis to prevent the placement of high tension electric cables over our Arab-Jewish organic olive grove in Roha, as well as over other agricultural lands in the area. Read the article in Al-Monitor (in English). The event was also covered by multiple local media outlets: Al Arab, Bokra,D60, BLD TNA, Panet, Al Madar, Wadina, Sonara and Mas6ol.
