Olives and olive trees in Israel and Judaism

The olive tree and its oil were a major component in the Ancient Israelite society, and have been important to the Jewish people for millennia. Olives are often mentioned in Jewish religious texts and are generally seen as a symbol of peace, wisdom, and vitality. It had a key role in the agricultural life, industry and religious practices of ancient Israel and Judah.
The olive tree is endemic to Israel and the greater Mediterranean Basin. The cultivation of olive trees has been important to the agricultural life in the Land of Israel since the Neolithic period. The world's oldest oil press, dating to the Chalcolithic period, was discovered in an underwater excavation near Haifa. Pottery containing olive pits, remnants of olives and olive presses discovered on archaeological sites provide evidence of early olive oil production.
In the age of The Kingdom of Israel and Judah, industrial villages dedicated to oil production, likely under royal patronage, were established. These villages housed dozens of presses, exemplified by discoveries at sites such as Khirbet Khadash. During the ~8th-7th centuries BCE, the olive oil industry experienced a boom in mass production across the two Israelite Kingdoms. Even after the Assyrian conquest of the northern Kingdom, the production of Olive oil continued in Kingdom of Judah. It was then shipped to other vassal states of the Assyrian Empire. Olives in general were used as a source of food, light, hygiene and healing. Israelite and later Judean populations mostly planted the trees in the Galilee, Judea and Samaria.
Olives remained a key product for Jews in Israel, despite the land changing control under various powers. Under Roman governance, Jews remained strong in their connection with olives.
Following the First Aliyah, Jewish olim began planting a number of plants, including Olive trees. Olive oil was sold in markets and exported Olive oil was the most common oil used by the Jewish community. With the foundation of a modern industrial oil factory that produced distilled oils from various grains, such as soy, sunflower, and corn, olive oil experienced a decline.
Over the 20th century, the Jewish population established numerous olive plantations and inherited olive groves that were conquered from Arabs during the civil war and the first Arab-Israeli war. The Kibbutz movements played a significant role in fostering the cultivation of olives.
At the turn of the 3rd Millennium, Israel saw an increase in olive oil consumption due to its health benefit; and Israel's Ministry of Agriculture promoted and supported the production of olive for olive oil pressing The public perception of olive greatly improved. Today, Israel is one of few countries known for producing the highest quality of olive oil.
The olive tree is one of the most important trees in Judaism and Jewish culture. They symbolize Jewish connection to their historic homeland. Olives are a part of the Seven Species. They were part of the diet of the Ancient Israelites, and are still used in modern Israeli and Jewish cuisines.
In 2021, The Jewish National Fund conducted a poll and with a 33% majority from the Israeli people, the olive tree was chosen as the new national tree of Israel. Its branches are depicted on the Emblem of the State of Israel and the insignia of the Israel Defence Forces (Incl. The Military Rabbinate).
In Israel, olives are an economically important fruit. Within Israel’s olive plantations, some olive trees have stood for centuries. The trees can be found in various regions, from the elevated mountain areas to the coastal plains. The landscape contains ~340,000 dunams (84,000 acres) of olive plantations. These expansive groves are home to a variety of olive types. Among them are the: Zuri, Barnea, Manzanillo, Picual, Muhasan, Nabali, Souri, Kalamata, Picholine, Maalot and Coratina.