Seders celebrate renewal

STEPHANIE N. HENSCHEL
Staff Writer

On Tu B'Shevat, also called the Festival of Trees, the new year of trees is celebrated. The day commemorates the renewal of the trees and indicates when spring begins in Israel.

As most of the rains have fallen, the trees are beginning to ripen, sprouting blossoms and fruits of all kinds.

In biblical times, Tu B'Shevat also was a time for tithes. A tenth of the fruit produced by the trees would go to the Temple and every third year the tithe was given to the poor as recognition for the blessings God bestowed upon the people and land.

Sephardic Jews call Tu B'Shevat "Frutas, the Feast of Fruits" or "Rosanana dos arbores, Rosh Hashana of the trees." According to Adam Fisher, author of "Seder Tu Bishvat," rich Sephardic Jews of Morocco invite the poor to fill their hats with fruit, while in Safed, kabbalists celebrate with a seder.

The seder has become traditional in many Jewish households. Modeled after Pesach seder, the Tu B'Shevat seder includes drinking four cups of wine with varying percentages of red and white wine -perhaps to illustrate the shifting of seasons.

The first cup of white wine celebrates the renewal of the trees. The second cup - pink wine, created by mixing red and white wines -indicates the renewal of Israel, as the spring flowers begin to appear. Light red wine is served as the third cup, representing Israel's spring fruit. The fourth cup, a dark red wine, is the cup of thankfulness, giving recognition to God for the richness of the land.

It is customary at the seder to eat different kinds of fruits, of which there are three categories: fruit with nuts, such as nuts, etrogs, pomegranates, oranges and grapefruits; fruit with pits, such as dates, olives, apricots, peaches and plums; and entirely edible fruits, such as figs, raisins, strawberries, apples, pears and carob.

Often, trees are planted in commemoration of the holiday. In fact, Jewish National Fund has an educational program in which school children can purchase trees to plant in Israel. For $18, a tree will be planted with the student's name on it, as well as an additional tree in memory of a loved one. Local day schools, such as Pardes Jewish Day School, are participating in this program.

Many day and religious schools will hold a seder in their classes, as will Temple Solel's second grade class. That seder is also part of the "Parents and Children Together" program, which teaches both parent and child about the Jewish Arbor Day.

The day schools are also participating in an art project that will be featured at JNF's Tu B'Shevat Festival on Sunday, Jan. 30. Each school -Pardes, The King David School, Phoenix Hebrew Academy, Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School and East Valley JCC Day School - was given a piece of canvas and a specific place in Israel to create on their canvas.