Tu B’Shvat: Celebrating the New Year for Trees

by Richard Schwartz

Richard Schwartz has written this anthology about Tu B’Shvat (also written as Tu Bishvat), the holiday that is on the 15th of Shvat (this year starting on Monday evening, February 10 through Tuesday, February 11). The celebration in some ways can be similar to a Passover seder (not as long), and the foods served (many fruits and nuts) have special significance. In addition there are many reasons that Tu B’Shvat is especially important today with our concerns about the environment and climate change. Take a look at the articles below to learn more about Tu B’Shvat and to plan your celebration.

Why Is This Night Different?: Thoughts on Tu B’Shvat

While Passover is a holiday of springtime, Tu B’Shvat considers the changing seasons from winter to autumn, as symbolized by the changing colors of the wine or grape juice, to remind us of God’s promise of renewal and rebirth. (read more…)

 

Tu B’ Shvat and Vegetarianism

The Tu B’Shvat Seder in which fruits and nuts are eaten, along with the singing of songs and the recitation of biblical verses related to trees and fruits, is the only sacred meal where only vegetarian, actually vegan, foods, are eaten. (read more…)

 

Preserving the Sacred Environment: A Religious Imperative – A Tu B’Shvat Message

Many contemporary Jews look upon Tu B’Shvat (February 10-11 in 2017) as a Jewish Earth Day, a day for contemplating our ecological heritage – and the multitude of threats it currently faces. (read more…)

 

Lessons from Jewish Statements about Trees: A Tu B’Shvat Message

Richard Schwartz shares some of the most important lessons in life he learned from Jewish verses about trees. He learned that he should be an environmental activist, working to help preserve the world. (read more…)

 

Celebrating Tu B’Shvat as if Environmental Sustainability Matters

Since Tu B’Shvat, the “New Year for Trees,” has increasingly become a “Jewish Earth Day,” why not use Tu B’Shvat Seders as, among other things, a time to consider how we can effectively respond to current environmental crises that threaten all life on the planet? (read more…)

For Tu B’Shvat: 36 Jewish Quotations About Trees

Since Tu B’Shvat is considered the “birthday for trees,” a time when trees are to be judged regarding their fate for the coming year, the following Jewish quotations about trees and fruits will be helpful for celebrations of this increasingly popular holiday… (read more…)

 

Questions and Answers about Tu B’Shvat

Thinking about having a Tu B’Shvat Seder? Here’s the answers to all your questions about the holiday and planning your celebration. (read more…)

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