olive oil
We get the olive oil from a co-operation of Palestinian olive farmers (olive branch fund) in Taybeh. Taybeh is a village with approx. 1.500 inhabitants in the West Bank. It is located 30 km north-east of Jerusalem. 300 out of 380 families who live in Taybeh grow olives. The production of olive oil goes back many generations, as some hundreds-years-old olive trees of the region show. In Taybeh and its region there are more than 150.000 olive trees. They are planted on an altitude between 600 and 800 metres.
The quality of olive oil from Taybeh has a very good reputation in Palestine and even abroad. The rate of acidity of the oil is only 0.6 %. The olives are harvested from October to December. One olive tree produces 9 kg on average from which 2 liters of oil are extracted. 
From the proceeds of the sale or export of the oil poorer families pay school fees for their children. The co-operation receives EUR 4.50 for each litre. Each member of the co-operation is paid EUR 3.88. EUR 0.12 are paid into the solidarity fund of the village and another EUR 0.50 are used for quality control, storage, deposit etc. 

The Mission Associaton of the Moravian Church in Germany imports the oil directly from the co-operation in Taybeh. With the profit gained in Germany it supports the project >star mountain< which is a rehabilitation centre for people with mental disabilities. 

Za'tar
Za'tar is a herb which most Palestinians eat with their meals. The main ingredient is thyme. Sumac, coriander, salt and roasted sesame are added to it.
Thyme is grown on >star mountain< by the disabled people themselves. After harvesting it is taken to a mill in Ramallah where it is further processed.