Tu B'Shevat + Wonderful Trees!

Tu B’Shevat, also known as “the birthday of the trees,” is Sarah’s favorite Jewish holiday! While it may be snowing in Boston, Tu B’Shevat marks the time of year when the almond trees in Israel begin to bloom, and is often seen as a day to appreciate trees and all that they do for us. Observance of Tu B’Shevat can be done in many ways, some of which include planting new trees and tree saplings, participating in a seder (similar to the ones we have during Passover, but eating fruits and nuts instead of matzo and charoset), and even just educating ourselves about trees and their importance to our world. 

Here are a few reasons why trees are important: they provide shelter and shade for both humans and animals, they offer nourishment through their production of fruits and nuts, they convert carbon dioxide to oxygen…the list goes on! Thank you for all you do for us, trees! Happy birthday!

Here are some of Sarah’s favorite books about how wonderful trees are for us and our world:

Do You Like Being a Tree? By Datia Ben Dor and Itay Bekin
Kate, Who Tamed the Wind by Liz Garton Scanlon and Lee White
Little Land by Diana Sudyka
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
What Do You See When You Look at a Tree? By Emma Carlisle