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Tu B'Shvat, also called the “new year for the trees,” is a Jewish holiday focused on nature and humankind’s stewardship of Earth. Today, it’s an ecological holiday on which people also plant trees, often in memory of a loved one.
In the 16th century, the Kabbalists of Tzfat created a Tu B'Shvat seder, which endures even today as one of the many ways Jews celebrate the holiday. A traditional Tu B’Shvat seder has special and symbolic items as part of the ritual — namely, seven specific species native to the Land of Israel. The seder does not have a specific Jewish observance, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to have fun with your celebration and to be creative. This seder is based on the writings of Yitzhak Buxbaum, author of "A Person is Like a Tree: A SourceBook for Tu B'Shvat."
Tu B’Shvat can help us gain insight into living and personal growth. It also offers the perfect time to practice gratitude and appreciate what we so often take for granted. Like all living things, we are constantly growing and bettering ourselves. Just as we care for the trees, we also must care for ourselves. Just as we water a garden, we must nourish ourselves. When used as part of our own self-care, gratitude can play a large role in healing, both physically and mentally.
Expressing gratitude has been shown to improve our mood, increase our connection to others and benefit our health. When gratitude is a regular part of daily life, people experience lower rates of stress and depression. Many have reported feeling more loved and more connected to others and said they are more likely to take care of their physical health. All this leads to higher energy levels, better sleep and a stronger immune system to fight off illness or infection.
For the Following Activity You will Need
Food to represent the seven species found in Israel or substitutions to match your food needs and restrictions:
Figs, Shelled nuts, Fruits with edible seeds, Dates, Olives, Grapes, Fruits with an inedible pit, Wheat and barley products, Fruits with peels
White and red wine or grape juice, Plates/cups, Something to write with The Blue Dove Foundation Mental Health Tu B’shvat Seder Worksheet for each participant, At least two people (Please note that while participants are numbered, there is no need to have a big group. This is just so the leader can ask someone to read the different participant roles.)
Text to be recited appears in bold and italicized underneath the role markers. Instructional texts are italicized, and non-italicized and non-bolded texts are explanatory materials.
The Mental Health Tu B'Shvat Seder Worksheet
Tzedakah
Name someone who may be struggling with feelings of loneliness and one way to safely reach out to them:
Name a social cause you care about and one way to look into being more involved:
Name one thing you can do to brighten the day of someone this week:
Eating Grains/Kavanah
What do you hope to get out of this seder?
What is one thing you want to reflect on during this seder?
Eating Fruit/Shehecheyanu/Mindful Eating
Name one thing you haven’t done YET this season that brings you joy
Mindful Eating Questions
What does it feel like to hold or chew this food?
How does it smell?
What does this food remind you of?
What memory do you associate with this food?
How did this food come to be at your table?
Drinking Grape Juice/Personal Growth
Name one thing you have learned/accomplished:
Name one strength you have that helped you:
Name one person who helped you get through this year:
Name one thing you want to work on:
Name one resource you have to help yourself:
How would you like your life to look this next year?
What changes would you like to create for your daily life?
Introduction
Leader 💬
Why do we celebrate the new year for fruit trees on Tu B'Shvat?
On Tu B’Shvat, we celebrate trees, Earth and our role as caretakers.
During this seder, we will think about, and eat, the seven species for which the Land of Israel is praised in Deuteronomy 8:8, which says: Israel is "a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey."
💡The seven species and their Hebrew translations are:
Wheat - chitah | Barley - se'orah | Grapes - gefen | Figs - te'enah | Pomegranates - rimon | Olives - zayit | Dates - tamar or d'vash
All Say 🗪
When the Holy Temple was destroyed, the Jewish people no longer could bring the first fruits (bikkurim) to Jerusalem, so on Tu B'Shvat, we offer the “fruit of our lips” — our gratitude and praise — instead for all the fruit trees in the world.
Participant 🗨️
“When a person is privileged to have food, he should show his appreciation by giving charity to the poor and feeding them, just as God feeds him.” (Zohar - Parshat Trumah)
Tu B’Shvat may seem oddly timed here, but it marks the beginning of spring — the season of growth in Israel. In the days of the Temple, we took “tithes” (a tenth) from fruits and other crops to give to the poor.
Leader 💬
There is a Jewish tradition of tzedakah, giving charity, in which we give a tenth of our harvest to those in need. Tzedakah translates to “righteousness.” Let’s all take a moment to ask ourselves:
- Where have I been fortunate this year?
- Who may still be struggling?
- What can I do to help?
There are so many ways to give back to your community. This doesn’t only mean with monetary tzedakah. Many are struggling with feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Are there people you can reach out to (in safe ways) to be a social connection? Are there volunteer opportunities that may help others? Are there little things you can do to brighten the lives of others?
Worksheet ✍️
On the worksheet on page 3, answer the following:
Name someone who may be struggling with feelings of loneliness and one way to safely reach out to them.
Name a social cause you care about and one way to look into being more involved.
Name one thing you can do to brighten the day of someone this week.
Eating Grains 🍞
💡Wheat and barley are the first two of the seven species connected to the Land of Israel.
Leader 💬
We will begin by eating bread or cookies or cake. First, let’s reflect on our lives at this moment. Do we feel like we are in a period of winter (darkness) or spring (growth)? What has brought us to this table today? Take a moment to set a kavanah, or intention, as these are the first two of seven things we will eat today.
A blessing is a thank-you note. The more we appreciate our gifts, the more sincere is our thanks, and the more sublime is our pleasure.
Participant 🗨️
(א) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר...אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכח) יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ. אַשְׁרֶיךָ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְטוֹב לָךְ, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
(1) Ben Zoma said...Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper” (Psalms 128:2) “You shall be happy” in this world, “and you shall prosper” in the world to come.
If eating cake or another grain-based and non-bread food, you may recite the following blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי מְזוֹנוֹת
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, borai minei mezonot.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates species of nourishment.
🙌If eating bread, it is tradition to wash your hands before eating, pouring water from a cup on each hand twice, and then to say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָים
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us through Your commandments and has commanded
us concerning the washing of hands.
🤫Without speaking from the time of the washing, we then recite the blessing over the bread. If you would like, you may use this moment of silence to contemplate what it means to have food on the table, to express silent gratitude or simply to reflect on your kavanah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech haolam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
🍴Eat your bread, savoring every bite.
Worksheet ✍️
On the worksheet on page 3, answer the following:
What do you hope to get out of this seder?
What is one thing you want to reflect on during this seder?
Eating Fruit 🍎
Leader 💬
On Tu B'Shvat, we eat the fruit for which the Land of Israel is praised in Deuteronomy. Every seder is different and has a different variety of fruits, so if you have a preference, eat the fruits in the order you most enjoy.
You may say the following blessing and then eat one of the fruits:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, borai pri ha’etz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who
creates the fruit of the tree.
If there is a seasonal fruit at the table you haven’t yet had this season, you may add the Shehecheyanu blessing. The Shehecheyanu is traditionally recited the first time we do something in a season, or a year, as a message of gratitude for making it to this point in our lives.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, shehecheyanu, v'kiy'manu, v'higiyanu laz'man hazeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season.
Leader 💬
Now take a moment and think of something else you love that you haven't yet had this season. It doesn’t have to be a food. It could be someone you haven’t spoken with, a hobby or a book you haven’t picked up in a while.
Worksheet ✍️
On the worksheet on page 3, answer the following:
Name one thing you haven’t done YET this season that brings you joy:
Take each fruit one by one. Enjoy the many unique flavors and textures. Try to be mindful in your eating by thinking about the following:
- What does it feel like to hold or chew this food?
- How does this food smell?
- What does this food remind you of?
- What memory do you associate with this food?
- How did this food come to be at your table?
Participant 🗨️
Why do we eat olives?
Rabbi Yehoshuah Ben Levi said: Why is Israel compared to an olive tree? Because just as the leaves of an olive tree do not fall off either in summer or winter, so too the Jewish people shall not be cast off... (Talmud - Menachot 53b) We all go through periods of darkness and periods of light; taking care of our mental health helps us wade through the winters.
The sages taught: “Just as olive oil brings light into the world, so do the people of Israel bring light into the world.” (Midrash — Shir HaShirim Raba 1:2) We all have the power to make the world brighter and more whole.
Why dates? It is said:
צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃
The righteous bloom like a date-palm; they thrive like a cedar in Lebanon.
זֹ֤את קֽוֹמָתֵךְ֙ דָּֽמְתָ֣ה לְתָמָ֔ר
Your stature is like the [date-]palm
Just as the palm tree doesn't bend or sway, so too are the Jewish people; we are resilient.
Moreover, no part of the palm tree is wasted. According to Midrash (Bamidbar Raba 3:1), the dates are for eating; the lulav branches are for waving in praise on Sukkot; the dried thatch is for roofing; the fibers are for ropes; and the trunk is for house beams. Every single person in our community is needed. Inclusion is not about making space for those who are different; it is about recognizing the value and worth of each of us.
Drinking Wine or Grape Juice 🍇
Leader 💬
At the Tu B'Shvat seder, it is traditional to drink four cups of wine or grape juice, similar to the Passover Seder. Each cup represents something different. We will drink them in this order:
First cup – white wine | second cup – pale pink (white with a drop of red) | third cup – darker pink (with more red added) | fourth cup – almost totally red (with only a drop of white).
White grape juice/wine represents potential. It is the buds and sprouts before trees and flowers have blossomed. Red grape juice /wine represents nature in full bloom. It is the fruits of labor and beauty. On this day, we begin to leave the winter behind and move into a period of renewal and life.
Participant 🗨️
Being a farmer requires trust. When a farmer plants a seed, they must have faith it will survive the winter — just as we all must trust we will survive darker days, and spring and joy will return. On Tu B'Shvat, we begin to see our trust rewarded. When we plant a seed for our own personal growth, it requires work, trust and patience.
Leader 💬
Take a moment to think about one thing you have learned or accomplished this year. It doesn’t need to be a huge achievement. We are all on our own personal journeys, and some of us might still be at a lower point. Recognizing this and having hope for the future is an achievement in and of itself.
Worksheet ✍️
On the worksheet on page 3, answer the following:
- Name one thing you have learned/accomplished.
- Name one strength you have that helped you.
- Name one person who helped you get through this year.
Pour a cup of white grape juice/wine, and say the following blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, borai pri hagafen.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
As you drink, take the time to be mindful. Sip slowly and really enjoy the taste of the wine. Now add a single drop of red grape juice/wine to your cup, and watch as the color changes.
Participant 🗨️
As the wine begins to get darker, we can start to see potential turn into reality; it is a seed with the potential to grow.
Enjoy another sip before adding more drops of red to your cup. Think about an area of life you'd like to improve. Picture your ideal self.
Leader 💬
Fill the rest of your cup with red grape juice/wine. As you drink this cup, think about this quote:
(ג) וְשָׁפַ֗ט בֵּ֚ין עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֛יחַ לְגוֹיִ֥ם עֲצֻמִ֖ים עַד־רָח֑וֹק וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹֽא־יִשְׂא֞וּ גּ֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּן ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (ד) וְיָשְׁב֗וּ אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֧חַת גַּפְנ֛וֹ וְתַ֥חַת תְּאֵנָת֖וֹ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד כִּי־פִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת דִּבֵּֽר׃
(3) Thus [God] will judge among the many peoples, And arbitrate for the multitude of nations, However distant; And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war; (4) But every family shall sit Under its own vine and fig tree With no one to disturb them. For it was GOD of Hosts who spoke.
Worksheet ✍️
On the worksheet on page 3:
- Name one skill you want to work on.
- Name one resource you have to help.
- How would you like your life to look this next year?
- What changes would you like to create for your daily life?
Conclusion
Enjoy another sip before adding more drops. Now that we have washed our hands and eaten bread, we can choose to recite the Birkat Hamazon or Grace After Meals. Or you may simply take a moment to think about which food you enjoyed most and how being in this space today affected you.
Leader 💬
As we come to the end of the seder, let’s all use this moment to take a breath, ground ourselves and reflect on the time we have shared and the kavanah (intention) we each set at the beginning. We have only scratched the surface of the true meaning of the holiday. That is the beauty of the Jewish calendar; each year we celebrate the same holidays, yet each year we grow just like the trees.
All Say 🗪
L’shana haba’a b’Yerushalayim! Next year in Jerusalem!