Big Tent Judaism

A Seder for Trees Gives Order to Life

For me, taste is everything. I love charoset (the apple, nut and wine mixture) on Passover, and crisp apples and honey at Rosh Hashanah. This past week was Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year for the Trees — and what a party it was! Echoing Passover, my rabbinical school friends and I held a Seder, tracing many different connections with the Earth, Judaism, and ourselves. There were comparisons to the seasons and Kabbalah — intertwining Jewish mysticism with modern day practice. We read poems of rebirth and renewal. We drank glasses of red and white wine — which were intermixed to form different shades of color to reflect each season as it passed. Best of all, we ate a huge array of fruits and nuts, directing our thoughts to spring and summer just by the distinct taste of each species. As we reached the end of this Tu B’Shevat Seder…

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