Next week we will be celebrating Tu B'Shevat at school!

The Talmud teaches us that the fifteenth of the Hebrew month of Shevat is the "New Year of/for the trees".  This specific date was decided because the trees in Israel were mature enough that their fruit could be harvested, and the annual tithe on fruit trees could be collected.  (A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government.)  The tithe was based on the age of a tree, as was the ability to eat of its fruit.  According to Leviticus 19:23-25, no fruits are to be eaten in the first three years after a tree's planting.  So to track time, Tu B'Shevat became the marker of a tree's "birthday".  By then the early winter rains were mostly over and the period of budding had begun. 

Today kindergarten and fifth grade started their celebration early by creating "tear art" of trees during kinder-buddies.  On Wednesday, all of our students will get the opportunity to participate in various integrated activities to celebrate Tu B'Shevat.  Kindergarten will enjoy buddy time with B'nai Simcha at 9:30, when they meet for a Tu B'Shevat Seder.  First through fifth grades will also be celebrating with a Tu B'Shevat Seder.  These sedarim will combine Jewish and science learning.  Middle school will be observing Tu B'Shevat on their WEEL, at Eaton Canyon, where they will get to experience a Tu B'Shevat Seder in stages as they hike to the waterfall.  The students will get to experience the Seven Species (Shivat Haminim); the seven types of fruits and grains named in the Torah (Deuteronomy 8:8), and will experiment with changing colors of the season by using white and red grape juice. 

Look out for more Holiday Happenings about our Purim celebrations here at Weizmann Day School!

Hag Sameah!