OPINION — At sunset on Sunday, Feb. 1, Jewish communities around the world will observe Tu BiShvat, often called the Jewish New Year of the Trees. Though not widely known outside Jewish communities, the holiday carries a message that feels especially relevant today: how we care for the earth and the legacy we leave behind.
Tu BiShvat began thousands of years ago as part of the agricultural calendar in the land of ancient Israel. It marked a point in the yearly growing cycle that helped farmers determine how to manage fruit harvests. In its earliest form, the day was practical and seasonal, closely tied to the rhythms of the land and the responsibilities of tending it.
Over time, as Jewish life moved away from farming and into towns and cities, the holiday took on deeper symbolic meaning. By the 1500s, spiritual leaders in the city of Safed, in what is now northern Israel, created a ritual meal for Tu BiShvat.
