In South American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, the school year generally starts at the beginning of March. The chagim that were most significant for me during my school years, and which I learned the most about, were those that took place during the school year, from March to mid-December. Hence, Hanukkah and Tu B'Shvat remained in the background.
Judaism promotes the concept of Tikun Olam (repair of the world), and the general education system teaches the value of ecology and the environment, but there is a holiday on the Hebrew calendar that focuses us specifically on our link with nature: Tu B'Shvat, the 15th day of the month of Shvat (coinciding this year with Feb. 6th). This is not a holiday that commemorates some historical event. It marks the “new year of the trees” – according to Jewish law, the cut-off date determining the age of the tree and relevant to several different laws regarding the cultivation and harvesting of trees in the land of Israel and the use of their fruit. In modern times the date invites us to celebrate the land and to reaffirm our bond with it and responsibility for it, through traditions that including tree-planting and a special “seder” (reminiscent of the Pesach seder) with different types of fruits and wine, with the appropriate blessings recited over each.
Personally, I have always been interested in learning about the way in which different Jewish holidays and festivals are celebrated today in Israel. When I began to learn about Tu B’Shvat, I got the feeling that in Israel, the values that Tu B'Shvat promotes are incorporated as a way of life. What do I mean by this? Well, think about it: how many time do you spend in contact with nature? How often in the year do you spend time sitting on the grass? How many plants have you planted in your life? How many times in the year do you take a walk through a forest? How often do you visit the park closest to your home? I invite you to think about these questions, because when I began to explore the bond that Israelis feel with nature, I came to realize that spending time in green spaces (parks, forests, etc.) is usually fully incorporated into their routine. If I think about in my own daily routine, one way of imagining how little contact I have with nature could be that I can count on one hand the times my feet have touched grass in the last year. (On the other hand, I believe I make up for it when I plant seeds in flower boxes on my balcony…).
In Israel it is very common for families to engage in outdoor activities in their free time and on holidays. Spending time in green areas, taking short camping trips, or visiting the country's parks and nature reserves are popular pastimes. This cultural phenomenon is reflected in the fact that if you ask someone who has moved to Israel in recent years if they have had more contact with nature since moving there than they did before, you will often get a positive response. This seemingly has to do with at least three issues: it is part of Israeli culture; the distances are short and it is easier to reach parks, forests and fields in less time; and government organizations promote these places as recreational options.
Modern Israel has maintained a strong link with trees since its inception. In the early 1900s, when the JNF began to buy and develop tracts of land for Jewish settlement, one of the first things the organization did was to plant trees, with an understanding the importance of afforestation. And indeed, a hundred years later, Israel was one of the few countries in the world to enter the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees.
Throughout Israel there are many different initiatives that emphasize and promote nature, making it part of the country's culture. An example is the Ein Afek nature reserve, which preserves the remnants of the vast swamps in the Acre valley with their rich flora and fauna.
Although Tu B'Shvat is a one-day celebration on the calendar, it is interesting to observe what the attention to trees, the land, and nature can offer more broadly as a culture and a way of life. Many studies have pointed to the health benefits of living with nature. For example, some experts recommend spending between 20 and 30 minutes a day barefoot on grass. Other studies recommend teaching school classes in in green areas, claiming improved educational experiences for students.