Tu biSchwat
Date: 13. February 2025
15. Schwat 5785
The 15th of Shevat is also known as the New Year for Trees (Tu B'Shevat) and dates back to ancient times. This holiday is primarily based on the biblical commandment to plant trees in the Holy Land and not to eat their fruits for three years (Lev. 19:23-25). The fifteenth of Shevat is a rather minor holiday, during which it is customary to eat fifteen different types of fruit and recite certain Psalms. Jewish mystics also developed special chants in the 16th century, some of which are based on the Passover festival.
With the establishment of numerous agricultural settlements in Israel, the fifteenth of Shevat developed into a symbol of the flourishing of the new Jewish homeland. In recent years, especially within Reform Judaism, Tu BiShvat has been associated with considerations for the preservation of creation.