Tu B'shvat, known as the New Year of the Trees,
begins tonight at sundown in Israel.
Almond Blossoms
Translated from Hebrew, Tu B'shvat literally means,
"the fifteenth day of the month of Shvat" which
coincides with the middle of the rainy season there,
when flowering almond trees begin
to bloom across the land.
In biblical times, this day marked the end of
the annual taxation of fruit, or the 10% tithe that
was paid to servants in the Temple and the poor.
In more recent times, Tu B'Shvat is observed with the
planting of new trees by Israeli schoolchildren,
mirroring annual Arbor Day activities held
in America. This day is also celebrated with a
special Seder meal, featuring four different types of wine,
from white to dark red, as well as four different types of fruit.
A beautiful Almond tree in bloom near Mt. Meron,
the second largest mountain in Israel.
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