Israel

(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)

For now the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of pruning has come; The song of the turtledove is heard in our land.

by Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)

Our hope is not lost, the hope of two thousand yearsTo be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem.-Hatikvah, Israeli national anthem

This year's observance of

As principal of a Jewish school in the US, I always felt that once we hit Tu Beshvat, the year is over - there is no time or energy left to do anything except cope with the succession of holidays, get ready for the end of the year, and work on the plans, hiring, etc. for next year. 

by Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)

The ocean sounds, O Lord, the ocean sounds its thunder, the ocean sounds its pounding.