Tu B’Shevat is coming

At times like this it is important to remind everyone that there’s more to Israel than fighting for self-defense and survival.

Tu B’Shevat, the “New Year of the Trees”, is celebrated on February 9th, the 15th of Sh'vat. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. this holiday was a way for Jews to symbolically bind themselves to their homeland by eating fruits found in Israel. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century Kabbalists created a ritual for Tu B’Shevat similar to the Passover seder. The sweetness of the fruits alleviated the bitterness of life in exile and reminded Jewish people everywhere that the land of Israel awaited its children. The Jewish National Fund provides two Tu B’Shevat haggadot that you can download for free, as well as activities and other information, at http://tinyurl.com/8voc6f.

With the reestablishment of the State of Israel the holiday has found a new expression. It is no longer only the date when fruits of the Land of Israel are tasted. It embodies our dedication to the environment of Israel and has become a tree planting festival in which both Israelis and Jews around the world plant trees in Israel in honor or in memory of a loved one or friend. Read more from the Jewish Agency at http://tinyurl.com/6sdruo.