The 15th day of Shvat (Tu = 15) marks a "new year" for trees for the purposes of tithe calculation and other Jewish legal issues that are determined by the trees' age. For instance, fruit that blossoms before Tu B'Shvat may not be used as tithe for fruit that blossoms after that date, and vice versa.
Over the years, Tu B'Shvat has become a day associated with almost everything having to do with trees in the Land of Israel. It is now customary on this day to eat the fruits of the Land and to conduct a special seder service, with Kabbalistic origins, featuring blessings on fruit and relevant Rabbinical teachings. The most public aspect of this day, however, is the many tree-planting events that take place in forests and elsewhere around the country. Many schools take their pupils to participate in such activities.
Children of the Ezra youth organization, for example, planted tree saplings this afternoon in the Yatir Forest, south of Hevron. The event featured Har Hevron Regional Council head Tzviki Bar-Chai, MK Effie Eitam, the Director-General of Ezra – and some 4,000 children and youths of the Ezra organization from around the country.
The children of the Bnei Akiva Youth Movement split up and held many different tree-planting ceremonies. The Ariel Youth Movement planted saplings in the Maaleh Adumim area, east of Jerusalem, and its members will convene later today to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
The Jewish National Fund announced that nearly 800,000 trees were to be planted across the country today.
Forty-eight Knesset Members took part in the annual Knesset Birthday Tu B'Shvat tree-planting event today. This year's version of the event took place in Sderot and in nearby Kibbutz Nir Am.
The protestors at the anti-disengagement sit-in at the Golani Junction in the Galilee planted up-side down saplings this afternoon. They said that a tree with its branches in the ground and its roots in the air symbolizes PM Sharon's withdrawal/expulsion plan: "Just like a tree cannot exist without roots, neither can a nation." The theme of their campaign: "Disengaging from the Uprooting; Connecting with Our Roots."
Over the years, Tu B'Shvat has become a day associated with almost everything having to do with trees in the Land of Israel. It is now customary on this day to eat the fruits of the Land and to conduct a special seder service, with Kabbalistic origins, featuring blessings on fruit and relevant Rabbinical teachings. The most public aspect of this day, however, is the many tree-planting events that take place in forests and elsewhere around the country. Many schools take their pupils to participate in such activities.
Children of the Ezra youth organization, for example, planted tree saplings this afternoon in the Yatir Forest, south of Hevron. The event featured Har Hevron Regional Council head Tzviki Bar-Chai, MK Effie Eitam, the Director-General of Ezra – and some 4,000 children and youths of the Ezra organization from around the country.
The children of the Bnei Akiva Youth Movement split up and held many different tree-planting ceremonies. The Ariel Youth Movement planted saplings in the Maaleh Adumim area, east of Jerusalem, and its members will convene later today to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
The Jewish National Fund announced that nearly 800,000 trees were to be planted across the country today.
Forty-eight Knesset Members took part in the annual Knesset Birthday Tu B'Shvat tree-planting event today. This year's version of the event took place in Sderot and in nearby Kibbutz Nir Am.
The protestors at the anti-disengagement sit-in at the Golani Junction in the Galilee planted up-side down saplings this afternoon. They said that a tree with its branches in the ground and its roots in the air symbolizes PM Sharon's withdrawal/expulsion plan: "Just like a tree cannot exist without roots, neither can a nation." The theme of their campaign: "Disengaging from the Uprooting; Connecting with Our Roots."