Light My Fire: How To Celebrate Tu B'Shevat

Celebrate The Trees: or else...If you're like me, Tu b'Shevat didn't figure prominently in your upbringing. As a kid, we did the Purim carnivals and the Hanukkah parties; we erected an annual sukkah and always had a Passover seder, but the Jewish New Year for Trees, well--it didn't enjoy a whole lot of fanfare. In fact, it wasn't until recently that I learned what Tu b'Shevat is all about.

One of the four "new years" in the Jewish calendar, Tu b'Shevat celebrates the rebirth offered by the approaching spring season and the sanctity of the earth.

Being that it's a minor holiday with agricultural origins, Tu b'Shevat lends itself to all kinds of modern interpretations and applications. You can use these guides as a jumping off point, and below you'll find a few tips and ideas for hosting your own Tu b'Shevat seder.

• Host a potluck. Ask your guests to each bring a dish that uses ingredients symbolic of the holiday: Examples include pomegranates, almonds, citrus fruits, coconuts, dates, olives, cherries, peaches and avocados.
• Create a seder plate that represents the Kabbalistic concept of the "Four Worlds." Assiyah: nuts and fruits with a tough skin; Yetzirah: fruits with a tough inner core; B'riyah: fruits that are completely edible; Atzilut: leave this space on the plate empty, symbolizing divine emanation.
• Provide four different wines, ranging in color from white to deep red. Explain that the colors symbolize the changing seasons.
• Provide paper and markers, and encourage your guests to design a tree that best represents who they are and want to be, then share them with the group.
  
• Give bonsai trees as party favors.
• Organize a tree planting event for your friends, family, or co-workers with the help of one of these following groups:

American Forests
P.O. Box 2000
Washington, DC 20013
Membership Hotline (800) 873-5323; fax (202) 667-7751
The citizens' conservation group for trees and forests, working for healthy communities and forest ecosystems.

 

Fairfax ReLeaf
2055 Government Center Parkway
Suite 703, Fairfax, VA 22035
Telephone: (703) 324-1409
Plants and preserves trees, improves community appearance, and restores habitat on public and commons lands in Northern Virginia.

Forest Releaf of Missouri
4205 Lindell Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63108
Voice (314) 533-5323 or (314) 524-7305; Fax (314) 533-0016
Dedicated to increasing the tree population in Missouri metropolitan areas and to educate its public about trees, tree care and tree planting.

Greening Milwaukee
1150 East Brady Street
Milwaukee WI 53202
Voice: (414) 273-8733; Fax: (414) 273-3393
Envisions a greener, cleaner Milwaukee by increasing tree planting and green space through education and involvement.

National Tree Trust
1120 G Street, N.W., Suite 770
Washington, DC 20005
Phone, (800) 846-8733
Seeks to increase volunteerism and civic pride in local communities and schools by promoting tree planting.

SeedTree
RR 2 Box 802
West Cape, Stockton Springs, ME 04981
(207) 567-3056
Supports international tree planting efforts to protect and regenerate endangered forest ecosystems and biodiversity.

Tree Central USA
P.O. Box 080054
SI, NY 10308
(917) 953-4724
America's tree fighters, dedicated to all trees rights being destroyed by builders.

Tree Musketeers
136 Main Street
El Segundo, CA 90245
Telephone: (310) 322-0263
Empowers young people to lead environmental improvement in Earth's communities through innovative action and educational programs.

TreeFolks
P.O. Box 704
Austin, Texas 78767
Voice and fax, (512) 443-5323
Promotes community partnerships in the renewal and care of the Austin/Central Texas urban forest through public tree plantings and education.

Tree-Mendous
Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
Tawes State Office Building E-1
Annapolis MD 21401
Telephone, 410-260-8510
Works with volunteer groups planting and caring for trees on public land throughout the state.

TreePeople
12601 Mulholland Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Telephone, (818) 753-4600
An environmental education and activist organization that has been the leader in the community forestry movement.

Trees for Life
3006 W. Saint Louis Street
Wichita, KS 67203-5129
Telephone, (316) 263-7294
Empowers people by demonstrating that in helping each other, we can unleash extraordinary power that impacts our lives.

Trees for the Future
PO Box 7027
Silver Spring, MD 20907
A non-profit organization initiating and supporting agroforestry self-help projects.

[Killer list of tree planting organizations courtesy of Marshall House Empowerment Consulting.]