Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Ultimate Olive Tour

Via RH:
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Prologue:

Siraj is a non-governmental non profit organization based in Beit Sahour, Palestine. Siraj aims to create links between Palestinian people and people from around the globe through educational tourism, interfaith and ecumenical dialogue, culture and youth exchange programs...Siraj Center recognizes the historic roots of the Palestinian people through showing the cultural identity for the people of Palestine and reflecting it through all the organized visits for tourists in Palestine. Siraj Center, also means to support the Palestinian economy by asking the tourists to stay their longest time with the Palestinian people in hotels or with local families, means spending %90 of their time in the West Bank.

And here it is (errors and style preserved):

Fair Trade Olive Harvest 2010

Travel to Palestine and Israel, and learn how fair trade cooperatives are restoring hope and providing economic alternatives to a population under occupation. Harvest olives with Fair Trade farmers, use organic farming practices, witness the community building strengths of Fair Trade cooperatives, and cultivate a greater appreciation of Palestinian traditions, food and people.

01 OCT 2010 : Day 1: Arrive TLV Airport
Evening meeting and Global Exchange and partners welcome, Olive Harvest Briefing. Stay overnight at a local hotel in Jerusalem.
02 OCT 2010: Day 2: Jerusalem
Breakfast at the hotel and tour with Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, focused on land, resources, water rights, tree destruction, house demolition and an economy paralyzed by occupation. Tour of the Old City, including Via Dolorossa, Al Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall. Visit with Sunbula Fair Trade, an organization working to promote a number of West Bank co-operatives. Dinner and overnight local hotel in Bethlehem.
03 OCT 2010: Day 3: Bethlehem and Beit Sahour
Breakfast at the hotel Travel to Beit Sahour, learn about Bethlehem-area crafts at the fair trade Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society. Visit the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People and hear about non-violent forms of resistance and their media project, IMEMC. Tour the Old City of Bethlehem, walk along the Apartheid Wall. Drive south to Hebron and visit the old city, including the Ibrahimi Mosque and meet with Hebron Rehabilitation committee. Dinner will be at Artas village outside of Bethlehem including a folk dace performance dabkeh. Overnight in our hotel in Bethlehem.
04 OCT 2010: Day 4: Ramallah and Bilin, Nablus and Sabastya
Morning departure to Ramallah drive to Bilin and meet with the society of Friends of Freedom and Justice and hear about the one going Non violent resistance against the wall. Drive to Nablus and Walk through the Old Town and the Old Market. Visit ancient spice mills, tahini mills, nut roasting houses and bakeries using local products. Visit Sabistya village, North of nablus and see the roman ruins in the middle of olive country. Dine at an outdoor restaurant overlooking the ruins. Meet with home-stay farmers after dinner and stay in Sebastiya.
05 OCT 2010: Day 5: Sabistya village
Olive Harvest in Sebastiya. Spend the day with host family on farm, having lunch in the field and dinner at host family home. Learn farming and traditional cooking practices and share stories about their daily lives. After dinner visit an old stone press in town with the host family, where the village gathers to press olives all night in preparation for the harvest. Stay overnight with host family in Sebastiya
06 OCT 2010: Day 6: Jenin
After traveling to Jenin, tour the Canaan, the bottling factory, showroom and office to learn about their programs. Tour an organic farm in Burqin and hike to the ancient stone-age presses in the olive orchards. Visit the Jenin Refugee Camp and meet for a workshop with Freedom Theater. Enjoy a group dinner and cookout in the Women Cultural Society center in Jinin. Meet with home-stay farmers after dinner and stay in Jenin or Rumana.
07 OCT 2010: Day 7: Jenin
Spend the day with host family on the farm, having lunch in the field. Talk to host families about their lives in Jenin, the effects of the occupation on daily life and farming, and their preparation for the yearly Olive Harvest. Stay overnight with host family Bilin.
08 OCT 2010: Day 8: Bilin and October fest in Taybeh
Work in the field with the people of Bilin, hear about the on going struggle using non violent resistance. In the late afternoon drive to Taybeh and participate in the Taybe October fest organized by the Taybeh beer brewery. Dinner in Taybeh. Overnight in Ramallah.
09 OCT 2010: Day 9: Ramallah-Jerusalem
After breakfast in the hotel, visit Addamer, a prisoners' rights organization. Meet with the PLO Negotiations Support unit and talk to Palestinian officials.
Drive back to Jerusalem, and have a late afternoon meeting with the Alternative Information Center, a joint Israeli/Palestinian educational and reporting group. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
10 OCT 2010: Day 10: Negev
Early morning drive to the Negev Desert to meet with Bustan L'Shalom, a joint Israeli/Palestinian organization working to create self-sufficiency fair trade projects for Bedouin communities, and to bring awareness to land confiscation and house demolitions taking place in the Negev. Return to Jerusalem for an overnight stay at our hotel in Jerusalem.
11 OCT 2010: Day 11: Jerusalem and depart
Morning Departure from Jerusalem – guesthouse check-out and transfer to airport.
The Cost of: 8-12 participants $2150; over 12 pax $1900 and that includes everything besides the airfare and tips (see below for more info).
Price Includes:
• Double room accommodations with host families and guesthouse
• 2 meals/day (lunch excluded)
• On-ground transportation
• All program activities
• Honoraria to all host speakers, organizations and communities
• Trip leader(s), guide and translator
• Reading materials
• GX membership for one year
• International airfare, tips and personal expenses are not included
• Single room requests not typically granted. Please inquire with coordinator


Hey, there are some olive groves in Shiloh, with an olive oil plant.

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