July 29-August 4, 2004

food

Pressing For Change

by Mary Armstrong

Let's play word association: olives, olive oil. Some holler "Italy!" Others sputter, "But no, gotta be Greece when you think of olives." Turkey claims that many people are unwittingly enjoying Turkish oil, since they export to certain high-profile countries which then, in turn, export more olive oil than their entire crop.

Clearly olives and the golden oil they produce are central to life all along the Mediterranean. That includes the people in Palestine, who, according to Nijmie Dzurinko, founder of International Women's Peace Service (IWPS), are now having a great deal of difficulty maintaining this important part of their livelihood and culture. Dzurinko will be speaking about the Palestinian olive harvest in a breakfast talk next week at the White Dog Cafe. She hopes to interest Philadelphians with a bit of free time and a predilection for travel, culture and politics in volunteering to help with this fall's olive harvest. Having participated in the last two harvests herself, she has all the details.

About two years ago, Dzurinko left her job with the Philadelphia Student Union to help organize women from 16 countries into IWPS. "A response to the increasing violence in the Middle East and Palestinian cries for observers," is how Dzurinko defines the organization. IWPS maintains a house and office in Hares on the West Bank; Harvest volunteers will be put up there, or perhaps with a Palestinian family. During the rest of the year, IWPS maintains nonviolent observer status.

Dzurinko explains, " Much of our work is focused on nonviolent resistance to the wall. It is being built on Palestinian lands. Why isn't the wall on the Green Line? Not to suggest that walls solve problems, but why, if it must exist, should it take many miles of arable Palestinian land?" Dzurinko notes, "Palestine has always been an agricultural society. The wall separates many farmers from their land."

At olive harvest time, Dzurinko continues, "The farmers face attacks by settlers and Israeli military. Settlers harass, beat and shoot people. IWPS and volunteers, both international and Israeli, actively participate by joining in the harvest." Olive harvest is a time when whole families get together, a time of celebration. "The olive branch is a symbol of Palestinian culture. There are hundreds of thousands of olive trees, though many are being lost to the wall."

Palestinian Olive Harvest Breakfast Talk, Wed., Aug. 4, 8-10 a.m., $12 includes breakfast, tax, tip and discussion, White Dog Cafe, 3420 Sansom St., 215-386-9224 for reservations (required). For information, visit www.whitedog.com or www.iwps.info.