New Year for Trees???

I have really enjoyed slotting into the cycles of God's calendar. It is a slow process though, and not always as successful as I would like it to be. Sometimes the Feasts sneak up on me and I'm not prepared. I am working on being more prepared. Since not being in Israel I find I have to pull my socks up to have everything ready, especially as all our things are still in storage in Israel.

So on Sunday night the 1st of February, is the New Year for Trees, or Tu B'shvat/Tu Bishvat. (Pick your spelling, I've found a few variations). We have invited two families to join us for a Seder on Sunday night, (using the BLOOM Haggadah from FFOZ), and I've even found a cool craft idea on the Chabad website, to make pencil trees.

I was inspired to do a tree activity with my youngest four. They really enjoyed it.

I understand why some people get hung up on why they have all these minor festivals. Some of them can seem a bit far fetched. But, like most of them, when you dig a bit deeper you find a whole treasure trove of goodies. (click here to learn more) I have enjoyed the focus on the trees. Trees are very important in the Bible. Especially fruit trees. They are for nourishment and delight. I have very fond memories of the summers in South Africa, sitting in the branches of the Lychee tree and eating (more like gorging on) sweet and delicious Lychee fruit. And every one was a small gem. First you had to try and peel the thick outer layer without breaking the thin membrane. And then after you peeled the membrane off you can pop the sweet fleshy fruit in your mouth and then spit the pip out. Wonderful memories.

Here are a few verses that talk about trees:

🌿 People Compared to Trees

Psalm 1:1–3“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

Jeremiah 17:7–8“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD…For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river… and will not cease from yielding fruit.”

Psalm 92:12–14“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”

Isaiah 61:3“…that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Proverbs 11:30“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

🌿 Teaching & Wisdom as Trees

Proverbs 3:18“She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.”

Proverbs 15:4“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

🌿 Fruit as Evidence of Life

Matthew 7:17–18“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

Matthew 12:33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.”

Luke 6:43–44“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit… For every tree is known by its own fruit.”

🌿 Israel & Humanity as God’s Planting

Isaiah 60:21“Your people shall all be righteous… the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.”

Hosea 14:5–7“I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily… Those who dwell under his shadow shall return.”

Even just stopping and considering these verses are a blessing to my soul. And reminds me to stop and consider if I am like a tree around my children, nurturing and shady, a place of comfort. Am I bearing good fruit around them and encouraging them to bear good fruit?

The Tu Bishvat seder from First Fruits of Zion is very simple, focusing on eating fruits and nuts, including the seven species, and it doesn’t require a lot of preparation. Our seder will include fruit and nuts, bread with dips, wine, and juice for the children.

We’ll spend the evening eating together and remembering that God brought the Israelites into a good land. And we’ll also remember that this redemption is still unfolding today — with Jewish people returning home and the land remaining just as God declared: good.

The finished trees. We will add some Bible verses as well.