Today is Tu B’Shevat – the beginning of the “new year” for trees. Today marks the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.
There are few customs related to this holiday. One is to eat a new fruit on this day, or to eat from the “Seven Species” described in the Bible as being abundant in the land of Israel. These are: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.
Another custom is to plant a tree on this day, or to collect money to plant trees in Israel.
Merrick-Bellmore Jewish Community Council 