Tu B Shevat Seder Preview : simplebooklet.com

The information, text, graphics, and other items in this booklet and on the israelforever.org website are copyrighted by The Israel Forever Foundation. Unauthorized use of these materials may be a violation of law. Except as stated in the next paragraph below, you may not reproduce, distribute, download, transmit, display, or “mirror” on another server any of the materials on this Web Site without the prior written permission of The Israel Forever Foundation. You may print, reproduce, or download the materials related to this program solely for personal, non-commercial use on a single computer, provided that: (1) you include the copyright or other proprietary notices that appear on the original materials and (2) you do not modify the materials. If you breach any of these terms or conditions, this permission will terminate automatically without notice or other action, and you must delete or destroy all materials obtained from The Israel Forever Foundation.Cover and inner design by Mushkie UlielThe Israel Forever Foundation is proud to welcome you toWritten and Compiled By Elana Yael Heideman, PhDA Celebration of IsraelPlant Israel at HomePlant Israel at HomeTU B’SHEVAT SEDERTU B’SHEVAT SEDERE-BOOKE-BOOKTu B’Shevat Seder // 32 // Tu B’Shevat Seder

Page 3

Page 4

Introduction: A History of Tu B’Shevat ................................................ 6 Tu B’Shevat Seder: Celebrating Israel ................................................11 Plant Israel at Home Activities ............................................................. 26 Additional Readings and Songs .......................................................... 28Taste of Israel Tu B’Shevat Recipes ................................................... 39TABLE OF CONTENTSWe are proud to bring to you this special Tu B’Shevat celebration that invokes the Israel connection this holiday so deserves, and oers you a way to plant a small piece of Israel in your very own corner of the world. Our connection to our homeland continues to grow and be strengthened through the seeds we plant today and for generations to come. Just as a tree needs water, pruning, and attention to extend its life, so, too, does our relationship with Israel - with proper care, we can perpetuate a love, respect, and pride in our homeland!Tu B’Shevat Seder // 54 // Tu B’Shevat Seder

Page 5

Page 6

Introduction: A History of Tu B’ShevatIn Jewish tradition, Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of Trees, is celebrated on the 15th (TU=) day of the Jewish month of Shevat . This is one of the four New Years mentioned in the Mishnah. Known in Hebrew as “Chag HaIlanot” (Ilan- = tree), we honor this day when budding fruit enters a new year of life and the first blossoms of spring are beginning to bloom on the trees throughout Israel. The date for Tu B’Shevat has been used since early Temple times to calculate the age of fruit-bearing trees, a measurement essential for the observation of several dierent arboreal laws:• Orlah prohibition הלרע רוסיא, the practice of not eating any of the fruits for the first 3 years of a new tree’s life. • In the fourth year, the fruits were still considered holy and intended only for use in Temple ceremonies (Leviticus 19:23-25). • From the fifth year of the tree’s life and onward, the practices of first fruits (bikkurim םירוקיב), and tithing (ma’aser רשעמ), where part of every year’s crop is donated to the Temple and the needy of the community. • Tu B’Shevat also allowed for the proper observance of the law of shmitta הטימש, when the fruit of the land in the seventh year cannot be eaten, used or sold. Knowing which “year” a given fruit belongs to helps ensure that we only eat fruits that are from “older” trees, that did not ripen during a shmitta year. The fruit of the trees that bloom before Tu B’Shevat are counted toward the previous year, and those budding after Tu B’Shevat are considered the first fruits of the new “tree year”. These practices are uniquely tied to the land of Israel and highlight the integral connection this land and no other has to Jewish life. In honor of this holiday, there is a long-standing tradition to eat fruits and grains native to the Land of Israel, the seven biblical species - Shivat Minim םינימ תעבש, mentioned in the Torah:1. Wheat - Chita - 2. Barley - Se’orah - 3. Grapes - Anavim -  (referred to in the Torah as Grapevines - Gefen - )4. Fig - Te’enah - 5. Pomegranate - Rimon - 6. Olive - Zayit - 7. Date - Tamar - (referred to in the Torah as Honey - D’vash - )      “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; A land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey.”Deuteronomy 8:7-8Tu B’Shevat Seder // 76 // Tu B’Shevat Seder

Page 7

Page 8

During our many years in exile, gifts of dried fruit were commonly exchanged as a reminder of the bounty of the Land. Israelis continue this tradition even today. In markets throughout Israel, dates, pomegranates, olives, avocados, persimmons, oranges, carobs, sabres (cactus fruit), and other beautiful fruits are transformed into delicious confections to be shared between family and friends and at the Seder held in honor of Tu B’Shevat each year.In the 1600s, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria and other Kabbalists in Tzfat began honoring this special day with a seder, or ordered meal, in which the fruits and trees of the Land of Israel were given symbolic meaning. It was believed that eating 15 (“TU”) specific fruits and drinking four cups of wine in a specific order while reciting the appropriate blessings would bring both human beings and the world closer to spiritual perfection.They believed that every cup of wine corresponded with a specific element from the four mystical worlds of creation: “All that is called in My Name, for My Glory, I have created it, I have formed it, and I have made it.” (Isaiah 43:7)Atzilut- Emanation, formulation of ideas B’riah- Creation, ideas become patterns Yetzirah- Formation, patterns take shapeAssiyah- Action, material world developed from ideasEach of these four worlds reflects a spiritual significance in terms of the creation of trees and the seasons of the year resulting from the creation of the world. Moreover, they reflect our connection as human beings to the world, in Judaism, to our environment, and to the formation and fulfillment of actions that remind us of the value of our connection to the land.Each of these realms are also present in our relationship with Israel. With each eort to connect with the vibrant life of our modern Jewish State, we succeed in enriching our understanding of the gift bestowed to the Jewish People 3000 years ago. It is the perpetuation of this knowledge and connection that embodies the practical significance of Tu B’Shevat.The most common Tu B’Shevat tradition is the planting of new trees – an idea borne from the mitzvah known as yishuv ha’aretz, , settling the land.“I will bring you to the land, concerning which I raised My hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it to you as a heritage.” (Exodus, Shmot 6:8)This tradition is not exclusive to the ingathering of Jews that make their homes in the Land of Israel. Rather, Yishuv HaAretz invites everyone from all over the world to join in the eort of working hand-in-hand on the land, to make Israel bloom, to grow roots in our ancestral soil and to ensure that another generation of trees will prosper for the next generation of our Jewish people to enjoy.Tu B’Shevat Seder // 98 // Tu B’Shevat Seder

Page 9

Page 10

 -       ,-  -  : “And when you shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food…”Leviticus 19:23The desire to make the desert bloom in the 1800s was transformed into a passion for planting trees throughout the Land of Israel. Thanks to the eorts of Israelis and all the important contributions of Jews from all over the world, facilitated by the Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael, Israel was one of the only countries to end the last century with more trees that it had 100 years earlier!Jews all around the world have found many ways to celebrate Tu B’Shevat: as a celebration of nature, as a spiritual renewal, or as a way to connect with the environment. But it is important to remember that the legacy of this unique holiday is the connection with the land in which it was born, and to which we are all linked - Israel!Tu B’Shevat Seder: Celebrating IsraelA Tu B’Shevat Seder is a meaningful way to bring everyone together for a Virtual Israel Connection experience!For this Seder you will need:Fruits of the Land of Israel separated into platters:• Figs• Olives• Dates• Wheat Product (Cookies, cake, crackers or our delicious bread recipe!)• Pomegranate seeds• Orange• Cherry Tomatoes• Carob• Grapes or Raisins• AlmondsIsraeli wine or grape juice - both red and whitePlates and cupsCopies of the Seder program for everyone in attendance and Israeli Flags!NOTE TO COMMUNITY LEADERS: The following Tu B’Shvat Seder is set up so that everyone can read a paragraph. It is important that there be one person who “leads” the Seder - assigning the readings as well as generating and leading the discussions. Selections in bold are perfect for reading aloud as a group, and of course the songs are for everyone to join in!To help personalize the Seder, ask everyone to bring a special song or poem relat-ed to trees, nature, fruit, flowers, anything that reflects the spirit of this Birthday of Trees and a symbol of their personal connection to Israel.Tu B’Shevat Seder // 1110 // Tu B’Shevat Seder

Page 11

Tu B Shevat Seder Preview

Page 1

Page 2