Tu BiShvat

Tu BiShvat or the "New Year of the Trees" is Jewish Arbor Day. 

Tu BiShvat's Origins

Tu BiShvat or the "New Year of the Trees" is Jewish Arbor Day. The holiday is observed on the 15th (tu) of the Hebrew month of Shvat. Scholars believe that originally Tu BiShvat was an agricultural festival, marking the emergence of spring. In the 17th century, Kabbalists created a ritual for Tu BiShvat that is similar to a Passover sederSederסֵדֶר"Order;" ritual dinner that includes the retelling of the story of the Israelite's Exodus from Egypt; plural: s'darim.. Today, many Jews hold a modern version of the Tu BiShvat seder each year. The holiday also has become a tree-planting festival in Israel, in which Israelis and Jews around the world plant trees in honor or in memory of loved ones and friends.

Tu BiShvat Activities to Do at Home

The Jewish New Year of the Trees, or Tu BiSh’vat, lends itself to many home observations and activities. Here are some ideas for crafts, planting, quiet activities, and more.
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BimBam video about Tu BiShvat screen shot

Tu BiShvat Tale: Honi Comes Full Circle for the Jewish Birthday of the Trees

Straight from the Talmud (the many-volume encyclopedia of Jewish law and discussions about it), Bim Bam brings you...Honi the Circle Maker! Watch this and other engaging videos about Tu BiShvat.

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Congregation Beth Am photo at Pride March

 

What's New

Taking a Breath for Life: the Union for Reform Judaism's Actions to Build Resilience

On Tu Bishvat we celebrated trees and a season of new growth. I've been doing lots of thinking about trees, as I frequently do, and the role they play in providing oxygen for the planet. At the Union of Reform Judaism, we provide oxygen to our communities by creating compassionate spaces for our participants to grow and thrive. We can respond to current and future challenges by fostering resilience that reflect our Jewish values.

“Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children”

The upcoming holiday of Tu BiShvat -- the birthday of the trees - brings back a memory of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In the museum is an enormous cross-section of a giant sequoia tree. Standing before it is a sublime experience. The cross-section overwhelms you with its sheer size, inspiring questions about the size of the tree it was cut from.

Have a Tu BiShvat Seder

You may have heard of a Passover seder, but did you know that many people celebrate Tu BiShvat with seders also? Learn about how to host your own Tu BiShvat seder.
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Brit Olam Environmental Justice

Jewish Values and the Environment

From the pressing global crisis of climate change to advocacy on clean water and food justice, we are heirs to a tradition of stewardship and partnership in the ongoing work of Creation that goes back to Genesis