Today is a holiday has both practical and religious purposes. Practically, it was set for the tithing of fruit, and marks the beginning and end of the fruit crop year. It’s one of four new years in the Jewish calendar. We celebrate the day by eating fruits native to Israel, often accompanied with a special prater.

But trees also hold spiritual significance, according to Chabad.org. “We humans can also celebrate along with the trees. After all, the Torah says, ‘Man is a tree of the field. We are nurtured by deep roots, as far back as Abraham and Sarah; we reach upwards to the heavens while standing firmly on the ground; and when we do all this right, we produce fruits that benefit the world — namely, our good deeds.”

Some celebrate by planting seeds. The Federation plants seeds for our next generation by investing in an array of inspiring Jewish experiences including Jewish camp, Israel travel and leadership development. Plant the seeds of Jewish identity and find the right Jewish overnight camp for your child today! http://www.jewishcamp.org/types-camp

Learn more about Tu B'shevat here.