Ma Koreh
Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary
Tu BeShevat Celebrations
This week we celebrated Tu BeShevat (15th day of Shevat), an ancient date in the Jewish calendar that is also known as the New Year for the Trees, or the ‘Birthday of trees. Together we learnt that counting the age of trees was important for our ancestors, based on the following mitzvah in the Torah (Leviticus 19:23).
“When you enter the land [of Israel] and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten.”
The fruit produced in the fourth year became first fruit offerings of gratitude in the Temple.
On the fifth year the fruit was able to be used by the farmer. Tu BeShevat provided a date for counting the years since a tree was planted.
Through engaging and reflecting on a variety of Jewish texts, including the Torah, midrashim and stories from our tradition, students discuss the importance of the environment, our Jewish responsibilities to care and preserve the environment, current climate challenges and positive actions we can take to care, protect and repair our beautiful world.
Activities included:
- Hearing the story of Honi HaMe’agel and the carob tree, which takes 70 years to grow and produce fruit. Children explored how they are the next generation to take part in the renewal and regrowth of the environment around them and of how important it is for us to take care of what we have;
- Class discussions about human impact on the environment and Judaism’s teaching on our responsibility to care and protect the world;
- Reciting brachot and engaging in a variety of mindful eating activities and
- Eating samples of fruits and good items representing the Seven Species of the Land of Israel (dates, figs, grapes, olives, pomegranate, wheat, barley).
