News of the Museum
October 1997

OUR NEW EXHIBITION

Crushing the Olives Before Pressing in the Museum Courtyard.
Photograph by Zalam Zalamit, Haifa

The artefacts and the quotations from written sources appearing in the Exhibition bear witness to the practical use of the olive and its oil in daily life - in food preparation, lighting, commerce, medicinal purposes and cosmetics, and to its ceremonial use in cults and religious rites.

The aim of the Exhibition is to examine whether the olive branches in the emblem of the State are merely a decorative motif or whether they form a significant symbol in themselves.

Gathering the Crushed Olives into the Flat Woven Baskets.
Photograph by Zalam Zelamit, Haifa

1 " Restoration of the Ancient Olive Press" - a Meeting for the members of the Study Group for Ancient Technology, on Tuesday, 14th October, 1997. For a number of years the Museum has been usung the ancient (6th Century) Olive Press found in the nearby village of Kfar Masr and restored by members of the kibbutz. Recently Yeshu (Yehoshua Dray) has restored two additional implements for us - A Screw Beam using drect pressure and a Beam Press with attached weights (See News of the Museum Jan.- Feb.1997 p.1) . During the meeting we will inaugurate both these installations in the presence of the Study Group Members, activating each implement, and investigating its method of working, its capacity for crushing the olives, and the amount of oil produced.

2. The Olive Tree - The Past that is also the Future" - A Meeting For Teachers on the Subject of the Exhibition will take place on Sunday, 19th September, 1997, from 8.40 a.m. to 15 p.m. There will be lectures on topics such as "Genetic Engineering in Olive Growing", "The Olive Press and its Installations", "Oil Production in Daily Life", "The Olive in Arab Folklore" and "Uses of the Olive in Medicine and Nourishment". There will be workshops and activities such as producing the olive oil, seeing the production of soap, and making clay oil lamps. There is a nominal charge of 10 shekels and teachers desiring to attend should confirm their participation by phone.

Illuminated Page from the Cervera Bible, Spain, 1300 Showing "The Vision Of Zaccariah"

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Museum Pool - This program For "Recurrent Visits to the Museums of the Area by Schoolchildren of the Jezreel Valley" has been carried out over the past 4 years and continues to grow in popularity. Each year new schools enter the program, and last year about 2000 pupils took part (See News of the Museum - Aug.1996 p.2 and Jan.-Feb.1997 p.5)

"To Learn About the Past as a Bridge to the Present" - In this connection see News of the Museum - June 1996 p.2 and July 1996 p.1 .

We have not yet begun to activate the program this year even though 4 groups each of Jewish and Arab children are waiting to take part.

We are still waiting for the necessary financial support from the Department of Education and from those funds who generally contribute to such activities.

"Family Trips" - A new feature of our activities this year will be trips to various points of interest in our area for families in cars who are also interested in hiking. The first such trip will be to Mount Tabor on Shabbat, October 29th, 1997 and will include climbing the mountain, seeing the flowering of the crocuses, and, in the Museum, taking part in "Ways of Learning the Past" and restoring shards of clay vessels.

Further Trips are planned for Chanukah, 13/12/97; for Purim, 13/3/98; and for Pesach, 4/4/98. Each outing will be to a different area and will have a different theme.

The trips, by car and by foot, are suitable for entire families and should be booked well in advance. The cost is 10 Shekels per person, including children over five.

ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES:

The first lecture "The Beginning of Archaeological Research in Eretz Yisrael" will take place on Thursday, 30th October, at 20.30 in the Dining Hall of Kibbutz Ein Dor. As usual, the Museum will be open for visiting from 20.00.