Sprinkle the brisket with salt and pepper and rub in the garlic. Sear the meat on all sides in a little bit of the olive oil in a heavy roasting pan with a cover. Remove.

To the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, turmeric or saffron, and ginger and sauté the onions until limp. Then add the celery and carrots and sauté' a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes and mix. Remove a third of the onion mixture and place the brisket in the onions in the pan. Cover with the remaining onions and bake, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 3 hours or until the fork goes in and out easily. Remove and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, pit the olives. Put them in a pot, cover with water, and boil a minute or two. Drain the olives and cover again with water. Drain again. (This is done to remove some of the saltiness.)

Take the brisket out of the refrigerator, remove any fat that has congealed, and slice against the grain. Return to the heavy pan with the reserved onion mixture. Add the olives and sprinkle over the sliced brisket. Add water and lemon. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for a half hour and serve.