Tu B’Shevat (New Year of the Trees) Background, Readings, and Children’s Activities

Welcome to our Tu B’Shevat Page!

Click on one of our three sections for more information:

Tu B’Shevat Background
Tu B’Shevat Readings
Tu B’Shevat Activities for kids

Tu B’Shevat Background

In 2010 Tu B’Shevat begins on the evening of January 29th and continues until sunset on January 30th. Tu B’Shevat is the New Year of the trees.

The letters of the word “Tu” are equivalent to the number 15, and Shevat is the name of a month in the Hebrew Calendar. So, Tu B’Shevat means the 15th day of Shevat. It usually falls in January or February in the secular calendar. While it may be cold and wintry in many locations at this time of year, in Israel trees are beginning to blossom.

The Bible does not mention the holiday of Tu B’Shevat. It likely started as a folk festival to celebrate the changing seasons and was celebrated by priests taking portions of their harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem.

After the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, Tu B’Shevat took on new and different meanings.

Today, for many Jews, Tu B’Shevatis an opportunity to appreciate nature and the environment. It is a holiday about rebirth and renewal. In Israel, Tu B’Shevat celebrates the beginning of the fruit crop.

Some Jews celebrate Tu B’Shevat by having a Tu B’Shevat seder, a meal that follows a particular order (modeled on a Passover seder).

The Bible mentions seven species, and these have become traditional Tu B’Shevat snacks: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.

If you would like to celebrate Tu B’Shevat, we have some readings for adults and word puzzles for children.

Please email Rabbi Baum if you have Tu B’Shevat ideas to share.

Tu B’Shevat Readings

Reading 1: “There is an eternity within us…”

Reading 2: “All things alive…”

Reading 3: “Rooted deeply in the earth…”

Tu B’Shevat Activity Pages

Adobe Acrobat Reader required to use these pages. Download for free.

Tu B’Shevat crossword puzzle

Tu B’Shevat wordsearch

You may also want to check out this website that has recipes for “worm” foods, like dirt cake. A fun project idea is to make your own recycled paper.