Kibbutz Givat Brenner, just south of Rehovot, was the setting for Israel’s first official olive-pit spitting contest. Hopefuls of all ages tried to best the world record of 21.32 meters (nearly 70 feet). Izhak Hazan won the competition, albeit with a distance of 10.9 meters.

The contest was a natural fit for Israelis, who come to Givat Brenner every year for an olive festival.

“We are strong in olives, and we are strong in competition also,” points out a vendor of olive products at the competition, which was part of a February olive festival.

Visitor Rafi Mann adds, “There are few other things which are more Israeli than olives. We’ve had olives for thousands of years.”

The contest was run under the auspices of the Spain-based International Federation of Olive Pit Spitting. Yes, there is such an organization.

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