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January 23, 2004/Tevet 29 5764, Vol. 56, No. 18
Tu B'Shevat festival honors Ilan Ramon's dream
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Community members who attend the fifth annual Tu B'Shevat festival can help fulfill a dream of Col. Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who died in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Columbia: Ramon called for the planting of 13 million trees in Israel.
The festival, sponsored by the Jewish National Fund, takes place noon-4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater, 75th Street and Main Street.
Those who purchase a tree at the event will receive an Ilan Ramon tree certificate. In addition, there will be Tu B'Shevat seders, folk dancing, Israeli food and wine tasting, arts and crafts, and children's rides and slides.
The Phoenix Council of Associated Synagogues (PhoCUS), formerly the Synagogue Leadership Council, is sponsoring a tent. Twelve synagogues take part in PhoCUS; eight will be present at the festival.
"We want to use the event as a means to engage people," said Steve Weitzenkorn, president of Temple Kol Ami. The festival is not an excuse to try to get people to affiliate with a particular synagogue but to show the community how congregations are working together, he said.
For the past 15 years, JNF has worked with Arizona USDA Forest Service because the Israeli climate is similar to the American Southwest. The organizations continue to share information, research and technical assistance.
Tu B'Shevat, which falls on Feb. 7, marks the new year for trees. It is viewed by many as the original Earth Day.
For information about the festival, call Ted Kort, 602-277-4800 or e-mail tkort@jnf.org.
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