All About Tu B'Shvat

Tu B'Shvat, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, is the New Year for trees. In Israel, many people celebrate Tu B'Shvat by planting trees. See our Tu B'Shvat Photo Page of Noam and his kindergarten class planting trees in Modiin, Israel. Outside of Israel, some collect money for planting trees in Israel.

A Tu B'Shvat Seder is a special way to celebrate the holiday. This seder follows a specific order and includes recitations and songs. Participants in the seder drink four cups of wine and eat special fruits and nuts. Our neighborhood shul in Israel had a Tu B'Shvat Seder and sing-a-long last year which everyone enjoyed.

Another way we celebrate Tu B'Shvat is by eating special foods. Some people eat the fruits for which the Torah praises the Land of Israel, called Shivat HaMinim. These include wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Enjoy these Tu B'Shvat recipes.

It is customary to eat fruit that we have not eaten during the year so we can say the Shehechiyanu blessing. In that blessing we thank God for keeping us alive and healthy until this day.