As the Flyde coast was battling Storm Ciara, some very brave members braved the elements to attend our Tu B’Shvat celebration! 
I love Tu B’Shvat, New Year for trees celebrated exactly at the half-way point between winter and spring.
Indeed in Israel this is exactly the day (15th Shvat) the sap rises in the fruit trees in preparation for another year of growing and bounty.
Tu B’Shvat ticks all the boxes you could possibly wish for in a Jewish festival!
It is easy to prepare for – just select whichever ripe fruit takes your fancy from your local fruit store or supermarket – up to 15 types, can include nuts and the 7 special fruits of Eretz Yisroel.
It is healthy and delicious – some fruits and berries have now entered ‘super’ status if you are into new nutritional research like me.
It promotes mindfulness – another well-being biggie in our modern era – and my hubby explained how to properly meditate before/during and after eating your fruit for maximum mindfulness and pleasure benefits!
Tu B’Shvat reminds us to be grateful to Hashem for our natural world and all the miracles therein…we made a pact to be better eco-warriers last night – al la Greta Turnberg!
Like all our festivals there are layers upon layers of deep mystical teachings and meanings that can be explored and appreciated.
Man and Torah are both compared to a tree.
There are so many parts of the tree we can observe and relate back to our make-up as human beings with a body and soul.
Firstly, it has a network of underground roots hidden from the onlookers sight. This could be compared to a person’s thoughts, feelings and emotions that only the person truly knows about and experiences on the inside.
Next you have the trunk, this is the body of the person and what we see if we look at someone else – take them on ‘face-value’.
The branches and leaves – this could be an individual’s personality and quirks – when you really get to know him/her.
The fruit – the person’s mitzvot – containing seeds – their legacy for the next generation.
Another way of looking at a tree and feeling inspired is to notice how even in the stormiest of weathers those roots stand firm and unshaken (again our core beliefs). Yes a branch here and there can snap (we are all human) but the strong tree stands the test of time and continues to bear witness to history (our lives).
Last night I was proud to admit I am a ‘tree hugger’ and I recommend the practise to you too – more clinical research showing health benefits is available online.
Here’s how to do it.
Next time you are out for a walk, find a tree that ‘talks’ to you – it may be small and nebuch looking or a tall, strong one with huge branches.
Spend a few moments contemplating it’s existence – here it is silently bearing witness to this time and place.
It has flourished over many seasons and years.
It has never complained, but accepted its existence and surroundings in peace.
It has remained humble.
Feel awe and love for it and for Hashem who created it.
Gently touch its bark – is it smooth or bumpy?
Stand back and put your two palms with arms straightened out in front of you firmly on the trunk.
Feel its power and allow its strength to flow into you (we all have an electro-magnetic field and so does a tree!).
Thank the tree (and Hashem) for the beautiful experience and for helping you feel balanced and grounded, mind the pun.
Another theme appropriate to mention on Tu B’Shvat is the Torah prohibition of ‘Ba’al Taschis’ – not wasting.
If we think about and appreciate the entire miraculous process of our delicious fruit growing from beginning to end, we would never want to waste or throw any away!
With this is mind I created the ‘Healthy Bites’ recipe below, which uses up all our ripe bananas/apples and pears.
You can play around with the quantities/ingredients…I just throw everything in without actually measuring…
2 or 3 ripe bananas
a few ripe apples and/or pears
about 1/3 cup honey
large handful chopped dates
1/2 cup coconut oil
about 2 cups raw rolled oats
2 eggs
shake of cinnamon/nutmeg if desired
pinch of salt
Mash the bananas with a fork in a large mixing bowl, grate the fruit with peel on. Mix with honey, coconut oil, spices, dates and eggs. Add oats until mixture is thick enough to spread in a large shallow baking tin, add more oats if needed.
Bake about 40 mins in a warm oven.
Enjoy!
Our final thought of the evening was that we are taught in the times of Moshiach PG we will be able to eat the peel, seeds and pit of our fruit too. The fact that today we can’t is an all too obvious reminder we live in a broken and imperfect world. The person who lives with faith knows that one day all our suffering and pain will be healed and we will live a completely sublime, peaceful and perfect existence… PG may this time come speedily in our days….
Love Anna xx