Tu B'Shvat

Tu B'shvat is the Jewish new year for the trees. This may lead someone to ask why would a tree need a new year? You need one becuase of the many laws pertaining to agriculture in the land of Israel such as tithing produce. In many ways it is like an arboreal fiscal new year. Fruit that has already blossomed on Tu B'Shvat belongs to the previous year and anything that blossoms after Tu' B' Shvat belongs to the new year.

Tu' Bshvat has a particular importance to Israel but it has also become a kind of Jewish Earth Day. It's a day to remember how important our enviornment is and what exactly is our relationship as Jew to the enviornment.