Tu B'Shvat is known as the Jewish New Year of the trees. The holiday was originally connected to agricultural offerings brought to the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, and this date determined when the crop year would begin and end. It was revitalized by the kabbalists of Tzfat in the 16th century, with the invention of the Tu B'Shvat seder, where we eat and bless symbolic foods and drink four cups of wine. The intention is to draw down divine shefa—abundance or spiritual sustenance—through the act of blessing and eating these foods. Tu B'Shvat was later revived again through the Zionist movement of the 19th and 20th centuries, connecting it to tree planting in the land of Israel. Today, Jewish environmentalists use Tu B'Shvat as a time to reflect on our connection to the earth and our obligations to protect it.
This ritual can be used as a way to enter into a Tu B’shvat seder or teaching session or as an intention-setting or witnessing ritual for an environmental action
Tu Bishvat takes its name from the date of its observance on the Hebrew calendar—the 15th day of the month of Sh’vat, which falls in January or February. Tu Bishvat is also known as the New Year for Trees, which is how it is described in the Mishna (Rosh Hashana 1.1) because it is the date from which the age of trees was counted, determining when fruit tithes were owed in the days of the Temple. This date was selected because trees flowered after it. In Israel, where the winters are relatively mild, the date also marks the beginning of the tree-planting season.
Hila Ratzabi will be reading from There Are Still Woods as part of the Tu B’Shvat Potluck and Seder at JRC (Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation) in Evanston, Il., on Friday evening, February 3rd, with Rabbi Rachel Weiss ('09), Cantor Howard Friedland, and Rabbi David Eber ('18). Join us for a community potluck dinner at 6pm, followed by services and seder led by clergy at 7pm, and Hila’s presentation at 7:45pm. There will be a concurrent program for children in grades 3–7 led by Rabbi David Eber at 7:45pm. No registration is required. All are welcome!
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