Tomorrow we celebrate the holiday of Tu Bi’shevat. Tu Bi'Shevat, or the “birthday” of all fruit trees, is a minor festival. The name is Hebrew for the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat. This year we celebrate Tu Bi’Shevat on Thursday, January 28.
In ancient times, Tu Bi’Shevat was merely a date on the calendar that helped Jewish farmers establish exactly when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from recently planted trees to the Temple as first-fruit offerings. In the 16th century, the Kabbalists (mystics) of Tzfat (the city of Safed) in the Land of Israel created a new ritual to celebrate Tu Bi’Shevat called the Feast of Fruits. (A sample Tu Bi'Shevat seder is available in the resources).
In modern day, Tu Bi’Shevat is a Jewish connection to contemporary ecological issues. The holiday is viewed as an appropriate occasion to learn about our tradition’s advocacy of responsible stewardship of God’s creation, an opportunity to raise awareness about and to care for the environment through the teaching of Jewish sources celebrating nature. It is also a day to focus on the environmental sensitivity of the Jewish tradition by planting trees wherever Jews may live (especially in Israel – JNF.org)
Tu Bi'Shevat Art Project with Ms. Julia - On Sunday morning during our Enrichments, our Art Specialist, Julia Rymer Brucker, did a Tu Bi'Shevat project with the students. If you weren't able to join us or complete the project Ms. Julia created an outline - click here .
In Parashat Beshalah, the Jewish people leave Egypt. After crossing the Red Sea, Moses leads the nation in song and Miriam leads the women with drums and tambourines. Commentators explain that Miriam was so confident that great miracles were about to occur that she told the women to be sure to bring their musical instruments!
Imagine that you had to leave your home quickly because of some danger. You’re not sure exactly where you’ll be going, but you know you’ll be going on a long journey. What are some of the most important things you will take with you? Why? Look inside the text (Shemot 15:20)
וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַתֹּף בְּיָדָהּ וַתֵּצֶאןָ כָל־הַנָּשִׁים אַחֲרֶיהָ בְּתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹת׃ Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her in dance with tambourines.
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