Tu B'Shvat

What a fantastic day we had today.  We celebrated Tu B'Shvat first by reading the book "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein   We had an engaging discussion about what trees provide us, and how in return, we can take care of the earth.  Some ideas students had were "don't litter", "compost", "don't waste your food", and "don't cut down trees unnecessarily".  After our discussion, we celebrated by planting parsley and painting our own pots.  Students will get to observe growth, even though it's winter here.  Finally, the second part of the morning was spent participating in our Tu B'Shvat seder.  We learned about the "seven species" that represent the new and the old.  These seven foods are mentioned in the Torah and they represent the fruits of modern Israel.  Finally, we sang songs, tasted new foods, drank grape juice in a special order, and thought about the importance of all the different seasons in the cycle of a seed.  It is my hope that students walked away with a rejuvenated sense of understanding and appreciation for the plants that provide us nourishment, oxygen and shade.