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Jewish Portal of Teacher Education
Articles of the week
Welcome to The Jewish Educator, NewCAJE’s premier Journal of Jewish Education. NewCAJE is a community of Jewish educators dedicated to building a stronger Jewish community. The Fall 2020 issue is devoted to learning resources for Tu Bi-Shevat & Tisha B’Av.
Tu B’Shevat is a holiday about the land of Israel and our connection to the land. For those of us who do not live in Israel, Tu B’Shevat is an excellent opportunity to find ways to plant Israel at home, in our lives and hearts. In Jewish tradition, Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of Trees, is celebrated on the 15th (TU) day of the Jewish month of Shevat. This is one of the four New Years mentioned in the Mishnah. Known in Hebrew as “Chag HaIlanot” (Ilan- tree), we honor this day when budding fruit enters a new year of life and the first blossoms of spring are beginning to bloom on the trees throughout Israel.
Tu B’Shvat is celebrated by eating the fruits of the land of Israel (mainly the seven species: pomegranate, olive, date, fig, grape, wheat, and barley) and learning about how to protect the Earth. Tu B’Shvat has become the unofficial “Earth Day” of Israel where ecological advancements are discussed and celebrated and there is a tradition to plant trees in Israel for Tu B’Shvat. Here is a collection of Tu B’Shvat lesson plans, interactive tools, and articles created by The Lookstein Center staff or contributed to the site by Jewish educators.