In ancient times there were several “new years” incorporated in the calendar. We know of Rosh Hashanah (“The Head of the Year”) as a new year for aging the calendar. But there is also a new year for trees…Rosh Hashana L’ilanot. One could not harvest the fruit of the tree for the first three years. In order to age the orchards, the fifteenth day of the month of Shvat (chamisha asar b’shvat) came to be known as the New Year for Trees.
With the birth of modern Zionism in the beginning of 20thcentury, the Karen Kayemet L’yisrael (Fund for the Establishment of Israel or the Jewish National Fund) began marketing the sale of individual trees to encourage contribution for land acquisition, reclamation and development efforts by the JNF. Today, JNF trees are the appropriate commemoration of the joys and sorrows of life.
This year, Saturday, February 3 is, in fact, Tu B’shvat. Temple Israel has been collecting money through the month to buy trees in memory of those from our Partnership area of the Western Galilee who died during the recent Lebanon War. You may still make your contribution. When the collections are concluded, we will send the certificates noting the purchases to the schools in the Western Galilee. Consider planting a tree in Israel. It is a time honored Jewish mitzvah.
Holidays for Halfpints
A Chanukah Chappening was presented on Sunday, December 10, 2006. This program offered children and their parents a wonderful opportunity to decorate cookies, create dreidl costumes, hear a story about the Magic Dreidl and spin, spin, spin! Sisterhood plannners Cathy Atleson, JuDeane Luntz and Cheri Spitzer provided a fun Sunday afternoon in preparation for Chanukah.
