Page 53 - Holyland Magazine - 2010 Edition

THE BLESSINGS
OF THE FIELD

remember this story at the traditional When visitors see black and green olives
place where it occurred, in fields east together on Israeli trees, many learn for the
of the village of Cana in Galilee. Grain first time that black olives are just the riper
was also eaten “parched” – toasted form of the green ones. Photo: Courtesy of
over the fire (Lev. 2:14). In fact, this the Olive Board and Yaacov Shkolnik
ancient form of popcorn was the
main course at the first lunch date The fruit of the vine still grows in
between Ruth and Boaz, which we Israel in the same places it did in Bible
can recall when overlooking the grain days. Ein Kerem, the traditional
fields east of Bethlehem (Ruth 2:14). birthplace of John the Baptist near
Jerusalem, means “spring of the
As the first food processor, the vineyard” and is located in the land
grinding stone was one of the most of Judah, of whom the biblical blessing
important tools women used. As says “Judah will wash his garments
Proverbs 31:15 notes, women had
to rise long before dawn to make the
“daily bread” that Jesus taught the
disciples to pray for (Matt. 6:11,
Luke 11:3). You can see a simple
grinding stone (also used as a
weapon, according to 2 Sam. 11:21)
at the reconstructed village of Katzrin
in the Golan Heights, and larger
grinding stones, worked by a team,
can be seen in Capernaum by the
Sea of Galilee. Also in the North, a
traditional grain mill is still in
operation around the time of the
Passover/Easter grain harvest at
Banias (Caesarea Philippi), where
you can purchase unleavened bread
and goat cheese for a biblical snack.

(Deut. 8:8-9)