Kehillah celebrates Tu B’shevat 2021
We celebrated as a school during Beit Midrash on Wednesday and at B’Yachad on Thursday. Part of our program included a sustainable recipe section, and we’ve included the recipe and the ingredients on the list at the right (click to enlarge). Thursday, we planted succulents – thanks for the inspiration Adam, enjoy this knowledgeable Kehillah student’s succulent info, along with our biology teacher, Ms. Vicenty’s garden tour.
Observed from sundown on January 27th to sundown on January 28th.
In honor of Kehillah’s commitment to supporting a positive outlook, community roots, and student growth, our families received plantable wildflower cards and we are planting trees in Israel and California through theJewish National Fund and One Tree Planted. At home, these efforts will help replenish areas damaged by wildfires.
If you’re unfamiliar, Tu B’shevat is an environmental holiday. Consider this day a way to remind ourselves of our duty to care for the natural world. Many Jews take part in tree-planting ceremonies, or collect and send money to Israel for trees to be planted. Because geographically this time of year may not be a good time to plant trees, many people send money through the Jewish National Fund Tree Planting Center to plant a tree in Israel. Some families also hold a Seder, similar to the one they will hold for Passover, and consume traditional foods for this meal.
Tu B’shevat is one of 4 new years in Judaism. This one celebrates the new year of the trees. It is commemorated by some with a seder eating ritually significant foods. At Kehillah this year, we hosted an “activities” seder. While we can’t celebrate or eat foods together in person, our program is related to the types of symbolic foods you eat during a Tu B’shevat seder, with activities all connected to environmentalism and sustainability.
Tu BiShvat may be observed in a variety of ways:
- • Tu BiShvat seders celebrate the wonderful fruits and nuts of Israel. Many recipes include these foods. Entree to Judaism for Families: Jewish Cooking and Kitchen Conversations with Children by Tina Wasserman includes numerous recipes for families to enjoy cooking together.
- • While the food is cooking, keep busy by making earth friendly art projects.
- • Incorporate social and environmental justice into your celebration by taking a hike, committing to “reduce, reuse, recycle,”
- • Plant a tree, either in Israel or where you live.