Tu B'Shvat in Israel (My First!)

Today was the Jewish holiday, Tu B'shvat——the 15th of the Hebrew month Shvat——referred to in the Talmud as the "New Year for the Trees" because it's the date used for calculating the beginning of the agricultural cycle (for the purpose of biblical tithes involving trees and fruit).

Outside of Israel, this holiday often passes barely noticed, languishing in the realm of the minor holidays.  However, in the Land of Israel, every Jewish holiday is an important one, and Tu B'shvat is celebrated as a major reason for rejoicing, accompanied by different customs.  For example, here in Israel it's customary to partake of a feast of fruits (a.k.a. the Tu B'shvat Seder!) that was first instituted by the famed 16th century kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Tsfat.

Additionally, it's become a time to plant trees in Israel: the Jewish National Fund (JNF) organizes tree-planting activities across the country.  This custom took particular significance this year in the wake of the destructive fire that consumed over 1 million trees in the Carmel Forrest a few months ago in Israel's north.  Below is an advertisement from the JNF that was widely distributed throughout Israel, encouraging donations to help replant of Carmel's forrest.

It feels very special as a new immigrant to Israel to be in Israel on Tu B'Shvat.  For one thing, you end up celebrating a Jewish holiday that is improperly neglected outside of Israel.  More than that, however, Tu B'Shvat these days is all about planting trees, i.e. creating roots, and as an oleh hadash in his first year here, that is exactly what I am doing.  I am settling in the Land of Israel, every moment trying to plant my own family's roots here, as we make Israel our new home.

I especially felt a lot of pride when my son (pictured below) planted his first tree today in Israel, in front of his school.