It’s the New Year of the Trees – Tu Bishvat!

So today is Tu Bishvat – sometimes called the New Year of the Trees! It speaks to Jewish concern for the environment and all of our need to nurture and care for the earth.

Some of you may remember going to Hebrew School and and planting trees in Israel. The trees have created forests that helped build the country of Israel. It has been an amazing transformation and the trees you planted in honor or in memory of a family member helped to build a green and prosperous nation and they still stand!

You can still plant a tree in memory or in honor of someone – a beloved friend; in honor of a bar or bat mitzvah; in honor of a new baby; or in memory of a loved one. You can purchase from the Jewish National Fund. I did trees last year to honor my beloved parents of blessed memory.

Anyway, celebrate! Last night was a total lunar eclipse and today we celebrate the earth in another way. Whatever you do, be kind to each other and to our planet!
Rabbi Marsha