A Journey of Reflection: My Childhood Perspective of Tu Bishvat

As a child, I couldn't fully appreciate the significance of planting trees in Israel. I knew it was important to my Jewish community because it was a constant theme at Hebrew School...even beyond Tu Bishvat. On the day of my Bat Mitzvah, my rabbi presented me with a certificate stating that a tree would be planted in my name. Trees are also planted on behalf of loved ones who passed. Even our Tzedakah boxes encourage donations to plant trees in Israel.

Tu Bishvat, also known as the Jewish New Year of the Trees, is a very important holiday in the Jewish faith. It is a time for celebrating the environment and the beauty of nature. For children, it is an opportunity to learn about the importance of taking care of the environment, developing an appreciation for nature's beauty, and giving back to the world.

But if Israel is so small, I wondered, why are we planting all these trees? Would there be enough room for people?

Growing up in New Jersey, dubbed the "Garden State", it was easy to take the abundance of water and trees for granted. As a kid, I never gave a second thought to the availability of clean water or lush green landscapes. In fact, my backyard was a forest preserved by the state as "historical land" because George Washington and his soldiers camped there.

My environment was a stark contrast to the summers I'd spend at my safta's apartment in Tel Aviv. Sure, trees were planted around the city, but there was no comparison to the lush forests I knew.

In an attempt to "save water," my safta reminded us to turn off the faucet while brushing our teeth and to take short showers.

Now that I live in California, I can hear myself repeating her words to my children. Here in Silicon Valley, there aren't any extravagant forests or green landscapes. It's one of the reasons my kids love visiting my parents in New Jersey, who still live in my childhood home. It's like the song goes, "you don't know what you've got til it's gone."

---

These no-prep resources are a great way for children to connect the holiday of Tu Bishvat and the Torah's description of special foods that made ancient Israel's agriculture special.

This printable Tu BiShvat coloring book features the life cycle of a tree and the shivat haminim, or the "seven species" of sacred fruits and grains grown in the Land of Israel. We celebrate the seven special foods that made ancient Israel's agriculture special with a Tu Bishvat seder: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, & dates.

Contents

Teacher's Guide

Tu Bishvat Crossword

7 Species of Fruit Tally

Maze

Crack the Code

Color the Arboreal Animals

Match the Tu Bishvat produce to its product

Acrostic Poem template

---

This no-prep Tu BiShvat activity set features trees, arboreal animals, and the shivat haminim, or the "seven species" of sacred fruits and grains grown in the Land of Israel. We celebrate these seven special foods that made ancient Israel's agriculture special with a Tu Bishvat seder: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, & dates.

These activities can be completed independently or in pairs. You'll just need one packet per student and some colored pencils.

Contents

Teacher's Guide

Tu Bishvat Crossword

7 Species of Fruit Tally

Maze

Color the Arboreal Animals

Match the Tu Bishvat produce to its product

Acrostic Poem template

---

I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment.