'Awlam

The village was located on the slopes of Wadi ‘Aulam, a tributary of Wadi al-Bira, which flows westward. It faced northwest and was connected by a secondary road to the main road leading to Tiriyya and several neighboring villages. The site of ‘Aulam is believed to correspond to the location of the important Roman city of Olama, which the Crusaders referred to in the Tiberias district of the Safad subdistrict. The village had a population of 83 inhabitants.

The villagers paid taxes on various grains such as wheat and barley, in addition to other production and livestock elements including goats and beehives.

By the late 19th century, ‘Aulam was described as a village built of mud bricks on elevated land. Its population of approximately 120 cultivated about 30 feddans of land (one feddan equals between 100 and 250 dunams).

During the British Mandate period, the village had an irregular layout. Its longest axis extended from east to west. The houses, clustered closely together, were mostly constructed of stone and mud bricks with roofs made of wood and reeds covered by a layer of clay. A few houses were built of stone and cement.

All of the village’s inhabitants were Muslims, belonging to the Bedouin tribe of ‘Arab al-Muwailihat. The village contained a mosque and a primary school, both established during the Ottoman era; however, the school was closed during the British Mandate.

The villagers obtained their water for drinking and domestic use from several springs. They depended on agriculture and animal husbandry for their livelihood, cultivating various grains and vegetables, as well as fruit trees such as figs, grapes, and pomegranates. Orchards spread west, north, and northwest of the village.

In 1944–1945, a total of 6,623 dunams were allocated for cereal cultivation, and 202 dunams were irrigated or used for orchards.

Historical documents indicate that the village was built on at least part of an older settlement. This is evidenced by the widespread reuse of ancient building stones in newer structures, as well as the abundance of ancient building remains found in the village.

Occupation and Depopulation

Israeli military intelligence claimed that the Arab Higher Committee ordered the villagers to leave on 6 April 1948, fearing they might aid Zionist forces. However, this claim is contradicted by the Haganah’s records, which state that units from the Golani Brigade entered ‘Aulam on 12 May 1948, at which time the villagers had already fled out of fear of the Jews. Following this operation, the Lower Galilee was emptied of its Arab inhabitants.

During the same offensive, Haganah forces captured three other villages: Sirin (Bisan district), Hadatha, and Mu’adhdhar, although the fate of their populations remains unclear.

The Village Today

Nothing remains of the village buildings except stone rubble. The only structure left intact is a spring from which the villagers used to draw water. The site has been converted into grazing land for cattle, with cactus plants growing throughout the area. The surrounding lands are cultivated by residents of the nearby settlement of Kfar Kish.

Zionist Settlements on Village Lands

No Israeli settlements were established on the lands of ‘Aulam. However, in 1946, the settlement of Kfar Kish (grid 192230) was founded approximately 4.5 kilometers west of the village site on lands belonging to the neighboring village of Mu’adhdhar.