News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Knesset Members will fan out throughout the country's high schools on Tuesday, Tu B'Shevat, and discuss democracy and the role of Knesset in modern society. The discussions are meant to replace the traditional tree planting ceremonies, which will not take place this year because of the Sabbatical Shemittah year restrictions.Tu B'Shevat also is the birthday of the Knesset, which opened its first session 59 years ago.

Classes of thousands of elementary school children are taking field trips to study nature and the impact of modern society on the environment. One popular theme in Israel and in the Diaspora this year is to focus on the importance of trees as part of preservation of the ecological balance.