Celebrating a "Green" Seder
The Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat, which starts at sundown Friday, has been celebrated for 2,000 years. The Holiday of Trees is big in Israel, but among many American Jews, the celebration is just starting to catch on, reflecting a contemporary urge to live more harmoniously with the natural world.
In ancient times, Tu B'Shevat (pronounced "too bish vat") marked the beginning of Israel's growing season. In the 17th century, the mystical Kabbalist sect (whose adherents now include Madonna) created a Tu B'Shevat feast modeled on the Passover seder. American Jews are now creating their own "green seders" for the occasion, combined with activities that support environmental causes.
Here's more about the holiday, its history, and how you can celebrate it:
What's a "green seder?"
Participants at a Passover seder retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, reading from a traditional liturgy (of which there are many versions and variations). There is no existing liturgy for the Tu B'Shevat seder, which means that almost anything goes. "It's allowed for a lot of creativity," says Jill Jacobs, a Jewish educator in Irvine, Calif. "It's a great do-it-yourself holiday."
Still, most Tu B'Shevat seders adopt elements of the one created by the 17th century Kabbalists: for instance, drinking four cups of wine, starting with white, representing winter, and ending with red, symbolizing the ripe fruits of the fall harvest. Modern green seders also tend to follow the Kabbalists' custom of enjoying different types of fruits at various times during the meal - for example, fruits with shells (such as walnuts) and fruits with an inedible pit (such as dates).
What's the modern spin on the Tu B'Shevat seder?
In Savannah, Ga., Congregation Agudath Achim introduced a green seder four years ago and opened a recycling center. Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C., is holding its first Tu B'Shevat seder this year and will focus on global warming. In San Francisco, EcoJews of the Bay and other groups will sponsor their third-annual green seder, featuring singing, speakers on environmental topics, and compostable dishware.
What are the roots of Tu B'Shevat?
You won't find it in the Bible. The holiday celebrates the beginning of spring in Israel, and, traditionally, marked the day from which to determine a tree's age so that its owner could properly tithe. Depending on the age of a tree, a certain proportion of its fruit was given to, say, priests or the poor.
Although Tu B'Shevat has long been a minor holiday, it took on new significance during the 19th and 20th century movement to create a Jewish homeland. After 1948, planting trees was a symbol of Israel's founding as well as a sort of Jewish Arbor Day - a time to recognize the dependence of the Jewish people on their land.
American Jews began to celebrate Tu B'Shevat in the 1970's, during the rise of the environmental movement, but only recently has it become a part of more mainstream congregations. "There's a growing ecological consciousness in the Jewish community - a lot of concern about global warming, our energy policy, and energy security," says Sybil Sanchez, director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life. The Tu B'Shevat seder "is a way of feeling a positive connection to the planet, rather than just worrying about it."
Do other religions have similar holidays?
In Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism, "Rogation Days" are making a comeback, according to John Grim, a senior research scholar of comparative religion and ecology at Yale University. Around Easter, prayers are said for the health of the earth and those who work the land. There are also Hindu, Native American, and various indigenous religions that infuse appreciation for nature into particular days of observance.