Deep History and Even Deeper Olive Oil Flavor
Dedicated to growing and milling the finest quality olive oil
The Khalaf Olives estate is located in the pristine Palestinian village of Rameh in the Galilee mountains, a hidden beauty of northern Israel.
This area has been an important location for olive oil production, due to its optimal climate and topography. A privileged area where nature has created a rare combination of sunshine and stony ground, the ideal environment for the mythical olive tree to thrive in.
In Rameh, people continue to take pride in their olive oil’s reputation, which extends throughout the Levant, it’s mentioned in the Old Testament, in newspaper articles, books and even poems, the olives are described as “the best you ever laid eyes on,” and the village itself as “the queen of Palestinian oil”.
Today the Khalaf Olives estate follows this tradition as a family run olive and olive oil estate. We produce only premium olive oil using traditional methods combined with modern technology.
Being a boutique olive oil producer, we grow, harvest and press solely our own olives and do not mix different varieties from other regions. Hence, we can define our product as “Pure Terroir” or “single estate olive oil”, which has a distinctive flavor and exquisiteness on the palate.
Family History Timeline
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1850’s
Khalaf Khalaf arrived from Lebanon to Rameh, where he married Helwi, they had 4 kids, Khalil was the youngest born in 1872.
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1902
Khalil immigrated to the USA, running away from duty service at the Othman army and seeking a better future.
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1924
After spending more than 20 years, starting at coal mining to having his own business in NY state, he still didn’t feel at home, and decided to come back to Rameh with all the money he had saved.
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1927
Khalil married Hanneh Khalaf, and they built the first stone house in the village of Rameh, where the family still lives to this day, and made a living from the olive orchards. Khalil and Hanneh had 6 kids.
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1944
Khalil Khalaf died, leaving behind Hanneh and six kids, Khalaf the eldest was 15 years old – when his main will for his kids was to keep harvesting and taking good care of the olives.
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1990
Khalaf and Musa were eager to keep their father’s will, they purchased more olive lands, found an old olive press and decided to buy it for the family’s personal use.
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2015
To address the limitations in quality and sanitation presented by the old stone mill, we invested in a new, high-quality closed-cycle machine. This modern equipment ensures that the oil extraction process is free from any residues and minimizes exposure to oxygen. This enhancement is critical in maintaining the highest quality of olive oil and extending its shelf life.
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Today
Today the family owns 50 acres (200 Dunams) of ancient Souri olive trees, where we gather each year, after the first year, together with local employees and begin the harvest celebration Read more about Our Olives.