The tree dedicated to Abu el-Arus, one of the early teachers of the Druze faith, is located at the top of a hill in a lovely residential neighborhood in southwestern Jatt, a Druze town of about 1,600 in the Western Galilee Mountains that is a venue of the annual fall Olive Festival.
In the early days of the Druze faith, in the 11th century, Abu el-Arus was known to meet in the olive groves that still grace the hillsides to teach the Druze faith to five sheikhs of the surrounding villages.
Two old oak trees with spreading boughs shade a stone plaza adorned with five-color Druze flags. A white, five-pointed star is attached to the larger tree; a light at each point is in one of the five traditional colors. Up the street is a large building for community events. Steps lead to the roof, which affords a fabulous view of the Galilee coast from Mount Carmel to Acre. Around the corner is the small dome marking the tomb of Abu el-Arus.