Tu BiShvat

Jewish holiday · trees · nature · agriculture

New Year for Trees. Tu BiShvat happens on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat and marks the beginning of a new year, but only for fruit-bearing trees. It's like trees get their own special birthday celebration.

Ancient Farm Rules. Long ago, Jewish farmers used Tu BiShvat to keep track of which fruits came from which year, so they could follow religious rules about giving portions of their harvest to others. It helped them organize when different trees were considered 'one year old' or 'two years old.'

Planting Day in Israel. In modern Israel today, Tu BiShvat has become a time when people go out and plant new trees to help the environment. It's become an ecological awareness day where kids and families work together to make their country greener.

Celebrating Fruit Trees. During Tu BiShvat, people sometimes eat fruits and nuts, especially those that grow in Israel like olives, dates, and carobs. It's a tasty way to honor the trees that have given us food.

Tree Planting Tradition. Planting trees on Tu BiShvat has become so important that it's not just done in Israel anymore, but by Jewish communities all around the world who want to celebrate nature and help the environment.