It took 5 hours for approximately 200 pounds of olives to be harvested today by a group of 15 volunteers – Israelis, Americans and Europeans, 5 of us rabbis, helping out a group of Palestinian farmers, as part of the olive harvest season organized annually by Rabbis for Human Rights. It was super fun – and today –safe and quiet. That’s not always the case.
Two months ago I visited this olive grove in the village of Burin in Northern Samaria. I came to see first hand the violence inflicted on Basher, whose home and grove are on the outskirts of the village, too close to a militant outpost of fringe extremist settlers. Basher was badly hit by a small gang who also burned some of the olive trees as part of ongoing scare tactics and hostilities.
He greeted us warmly today, limping slightly but out of the cast, offering coffee and delicious olives from last year’s harvest. We worked together for a few hours along with his neighbors, making sure no settlers or soldiers interrupt the harvest as sometimes happens- and just did last week.
I’m grateful to be able to be here today, building bridges of trust, as part of the rabbis for human rights olive harvest campaign, now in its 19th year.
