the (Jewish) New Year of Trees
THE JEWISH NEW YEAR...OF TREES?
You are probably familiar with Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year, which takes place in the fall. But did you know that there are four new years in Judaism...one of which celebrates the “birthday” of trees?
Tu Bishvat is somewhat of a Jewish equivalent to Earth Day. It’s observed by religious and secular Jews alike, and often used to highlight environmental and natural causes. It’s also traditional to plant trees in Israel on this holiday.
SPARKNOTES HISTORY LESSON
The origins of Tu Bishvat can be traced back to ancient Israel. This is because the Torah warned the Israelites that, upon entering Israel, the fruits from a tree should be regarded as “forbidden” for the first three years of the tree’s life. After five years, the fruit could be consumed.
However, this prohibition created a conundrum for the farmers: how do you mark the “birthday” of a tree...let alone all the trees in the Land of Israel?
This is how the rabbis eventually agreed to mark a date as the “birthday” for all trees. This date was the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat, or Tu Bishvat.
TU BISHVAT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Tu Bishvat is one of many Jewish land-based holidays that highlight the strong territorial links between the Jewish people, identity, culture, tradition, Judaism, and Eretz Israel, or the Land of Israel.
The Jewish people became a nation in the Land of Israel, some 3000 years ago. Like other ancient nations, Jews have long revered their ancestral homeland, including its natural elements. It’s for this reason, for example, that the Seven Species -- wheat, barley, dates, grapes, figs, pomegranates, and olives -- feature so prominently in Judaism and Jewish culture. Many Jewish holidays assign special spiritual significance to fruits native to the Land of Israel, like the lulav and etrog during Sukkot.
Unfortunately, after centuries of foreign conquest, the Land of Israel, once the land of “milk and honey,” underwent a process of desertification that depleted the local ecology due to man-made erosion and malaria.
Since then, however, Israelis have gone through great lengths to rehabilitate the environment, restore its water, and even bring long-extinct ancient trees like the Judean date palm back to life.
TU BISHVAT IN MODERN ISRAEL
Though Tu Bishvat is considered a “minor” Jewish holiday, it’s enthusiastically celebrated by religious and secular Israelis alike. Every year, over a million Israelis participate in tree-planting activities during Tu Bishvat.
The tradition of planting trees in Israel on Tu Bishvat dates back to the late 19th century. It likely originated with Rabbi Ze’ev Yavetz, who, in 1890, took his students to plant trees at a moshav (Israeli cooperative agricultural community). This new tradition was quickly adopted by the Association of Hebrew Teachers in Ottoman Palestine in 1906, which made it mandatory for schools to participate in tree-planting activities on Tu Bishvat.
In addition to planting trees, many Israelis observe a “Tu Bishvat seder,” reviving a Kabbalistic tradition from the 16th century.
Finally, Tu Bishvat is used as a day to highlight important environmental and ecological causes.
THE STORY OF THE JUDEAN DATE PALM: WHERE ANCIENT ISRAEL MEETS MODERN ISRAEL
The Judean date palm is a plant native to Eretz Israel. In ancient times, its fruit was not only a staple in Israel, but it became a spiritual symbol during the period of the Kingdom of Judah (930-587 BCE), and was even used medicinally. It is also mentioned multiple times in the Torah and adorned ancient Jewish currency.
But by the 13th century, thanks to the environmental abuse of foreign empires, the Judean date palm became fully extinct.
In 1963, Israeli professor Yigal Yadin uncovered date palm seeds from ~155 BCE-64 CE preserved in an ancient jar while carrying out archeological excavations at Masada.
Then, in 2005, scientists at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies were able to sprout several seeds. Three of the seeds were planted, and 8 weeks later, one of the seeds sprouted. The plant is known as “Methuselah,” named after the oldest-lived person in the Hebrew Bible.
"And you, mountains of Israel, you shall give forth your branches and you shall bear your fruit for my people Israel, for they shall soon come."
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT ON BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL PROGRAMS
In keeping with the spirit of the Jewish dedication to the preservation of the Land of Israel and the environment, Birthright Israel is one of the Israeli organizations taking important steps to pursue a sustainable and environmentally friendly future through Greening, their dedicated sustainability initiative. Some initiatives within Greening include:
Successful completion of the pilot project offsetting carbon emissions through tree planting, with plans to scale up to 5,000-10,000 trees annually.
The Birthright Israel Onward Green Energy cohort facilitating internships for 30 US college students in Israeli environmental companies.
Birthright Israel Excel participants engaging in sustainability internships with prominent organizations, contributing to real-world impact.
Growth and development of specific “Green” modules for participation on 10-day trips.
Contributing to a network of greening sites along key trip routes, highlighting environmental sustainability while seamlessly integrating Jewish content.
You can learn more about the Israeli ecosystem and experience Israel for FREE on Birthright Israel.
This evening marks the beginning of Tu Bishvat, also known as the “New Year of Trees,” one of the many holidays proving the ancient connection between the Jewish people and Israel.
