What I like about Tu B'Shvat

Tu B'Shvat, the "holiday of the trees" is upon us. It' a nice little holiday, tucked between two biggies, Chanukah and Purim.

What I like about it is that you don't have to cook and clean like a maniac for it it has become a holiday very connected to the land of Israel. I just read in the Jerusalem Post this morning that when the first olim arrived back in the late 1800's, they realized that the country needed to be built and the land cultivated, because there was nothing here. They decided to take Tu B'shvat and connect it to the land of what would become Israel more than half a century later by planting trees. Indeed, it became mandatory for schools to take the children on outings to plant little saplings. Today we see great forests all over our country because of what these early settlers did, and the tree planting tradition continues on Tu B'Shvat and beyond.

There is a commercial on TV now running for Tu B'Shvat that has a beautiful song that I always enjoy hearing on the radio. It is a reminder that our land, and indeed, the entire planet is a gift from G-d, that we must not take for granted. Very appropriate for Tu B'Shvat and the whole year.



Wishing you all a great holiday, Shabbat Shalom and a peaceful weekend.