School children all over Israel learn by song that
on the holiday of Tu B’Shevat, the new year of trees,
“Shkadea Porachat,” the almond trees are blooming.
In Jerusalem,
it is much easier to find roses blooming than almond trees.
The fifteen day of the Hebrew month of Shevat is also
the holiday when dried fruit displays fill the shopping malls.
Machane Yehuda market, the shuk, always a source of dried fruit and nuts,
has even more piles and varieties on sale this time of year.
The dried chillies in the shuk yesterday
and these little rogalach seemed really special too.
Generations of American Jews
associate Tu B’Shevat with “bokser” or dried carob pods.
However, I prefer our lemon tree full of fruit as a symbol
of the start of the growing season.
Many people will attend a special Tu B’Shevat seder at night at a
table set with red and white wine and dried fruit and special prayers.
But some stores have been ready for a while with costumes and props,
and for some… it is never too soon to get ready for Purim.
Happy Tu B’Shevat where ever you are!
See Tu B’Shvat from last year for a rainbow of beauty in Jerusalem:
http://rjstreets.com/2011/01/19/tu-bshvat/
