By 
By JNF
Our Jewish tradition teaches us to revere the act of planting seeds that will bear fruit for future generations. With its Tu Bishvat Across America program, Jewish National Fund-USA is doing exactly that by celebrating the ‘Original Earth Day’ all while connecting children to their roots and to the land of Israel. Synagogues and Jewish schools around the country participate by planting trees and using Jewish National Fund-USA’s provided curriculum to learn about the importance of celebrating and honoring our planet, and our Jewish heritage.
Tu Bishvat Across America provides participants with an innovative Tu Bishvat curriculum, created by Jewish National Fund-USA’s Boruchin Center grantee, IsraelLINK, that schools and synagogues can implement, as well as an engaging tree planting competition that comes with exciting prizes. Anyone who plants a tree before February 13will also be entered to win a free round-trip ticket to Israel on El Al and a spot to participate in a Jewish National Fund-USA volunteer mission trip! In the wake of the devastating rocket attacks on northern Israel over the last year, the need for tree planting is greater than ever, and the chance to make a real-world impact is a meaningful experience for students of all ages.
Here in San Diego, Tu Bishvat Across America offers an opportunity to gather as a community with our friends and loved ones while celebrating Judaism’s deep connection to nature and the agricultural traditions that may feel distant but are always kept close at heart. At B’nai Tikvah Synagogue in Carlsbad, Tu Bishvat has been an annual celebration of peoplehood and appreciation for the earth’s bounty. Naomi Gabai-Fisher, the synagogue’s Director of Education, says that she is excited to partner with Jewish National Fund-USA after having incorporated the organization’s tree planting and environmental stewardship into the synagogue’s programming in the past. Just last year, the community enjoyed a showcase of historic JNF tree-planting posters, and they look forward to formally collaborating for this important holiday.
For Teri Naftalin of San Diego, who is the Israel Programs Admission Director for Jewish National Fund-USA in Southern California, Tu Bishvat Across America is a chance to recognize the organization’s work and more than a century of commitment to the environment. She shared, “Tu Bisvhat Across America allows communities to connect with our work in the way we are most well-known for, that is, planting trees, while learning about Jewish tradition and opening the door to exploring all our other work and our many circles of impact.” After all, while planting trees is a mitzvah, developing Israel’s green landscapes in the north and south also increases their ability to attract tourists, improving those regions’ economies, and supporting the growth of small businesses in more rural areas, which then helps to develop the north and south as attractive destination centers for visitors and new residents.
Tu Bishvat may be just one day, but honoring nature never goes out of style, and Tu Bishvat Across America programs and contests run through March 1, 2025. For those in the area, B’nai Tikvah invites the larger San Diego community to join them on February 7, at 7 pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 925 Balour Drive, in Encinitas.
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