1.23.2013

Tu B'Shevat - Jewish New Year for Trees


Tu B’Shevat is known as the “New Year for Trees”, is a Jewish festival similar to Arbor Day. 
It begins on Fri nite Jan 25, 2013 - Saturday, January 26, 2013. 
Here are some more items that EtsyChai team members have created. 

Tu B’Shevat (Tu Bishvat) is the 15th day of the Jewish months of Shevat. This festival is also known as the “New Year for Trees” and is observed in Jewish communities in countries such as the United States. For Jews outside of Israel, Tu B'Shevat is a celebration of the renewal of vision and awareness, a celebration of connections and connectedness-to our own inner-selves, to the social world of human beings, and to the natural world and its Source

Many Jewish communities in the United States observe the festival by eating fruit on this day. The Torah praises seven “fruits”, in particular grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Many Jewish people also try to eat a new fruit, which can be any seasonal fruit. Some Jewish communities plant trees on Tu B’Shevat.

In Israel, Tu B'Shevat marks the beginning of spring in Israel. Sustaining rains are at the peak of their power and the world responds, brimming with buds of fragrant life. To mark this moment, school children plant trees. Often these trees have been provided by the contributions of Jewish students abroad through the good offices of the Jewish National Fund.
What are you doing for Tu B'Shevat this year? 
By: Linda Blatchford


1 comment:

Handmade in Israel said...

A lovely post and some beautiful trees.