“Streams of olive oil flow in my kitchen,” says Michal Waxman. “Almost every dish will start and end with a generous drizzle of it. When the olive harvest season begins, I try to get to know and taste oils from different olive varieties made by different manufacturers, choose the ones that arouse my curiosity, and experiment with them. But my favorite olive oil is the one that my kitchen cannot exist without, it is the oil that is produced with care, professionalism and a lot of love by Masik Kibbutz Magal.”
Shira Tzidon adds: “Masik excels in capturing the unique qualities of specific olive varieties, producing precise and distinct oils that can be recognized even in a blind tasting (no kidding! It happened, really.). In a relatively new field, rife with imitations, Masik Kibbutz Magal stands out as one of the few olive mills you can trust blindly, truly savoring their commitment to every strain in each bottle of oil.”

At this olive press, the team produces oils from 10 varieties of olives (local and Mediterranean) — each with a different flavor profile — as well as some blends. In 2023, the press’s Greek Koroneiki varietal won an international award and was named one of the 100 best oils in the world.

producing precise and distinct oils. Photo: Noam Preisman

Most of the olive vineyards are located on Kibbutz Magal with some in the Golan Heights. The vineyards are mostly not organic, but the olives are not sprayed. They are harvested using modern harvesting methods and transported to the northern Arazim mill where the oil is pressed. The prepared oil is then stored in stainless steel tanks on Kibbutz Magal, where pitchers and bottles are filled for many restaurants, health food stores, and delicatessens, and home delivery.
The press is open to visitors and offers olive oil tastings by appointment. “On some Fridays and during the harvest season, culinary events are held here, open to the public, which include the sale of organic vegetables.”