HOMAGE TO TREES
Books are made of paper which, of course, comes from trees . Today, a very special festival, celebrated by all sectors of the Israeli public, is the New Year of trees (Tu Bishvat). David Gefen writes in this weekend’s Jerusalem Post: “Tu Bishvat has a beauty of its own – a time when we continue to ensure that our land will grow and develop through afforestation.” To commemorate the 70 th year of the State of Israel the Jewish National Fund published a call to all Israeli citizens: “Whether we are from the right or the left, religious or secular, new immigrants or veteran citizens, let’s all give back to Mother Earth. This year we celebrate Tu B’Shvat as a symbol of unity.” As I write these words - from kindergartens to Senior Residence Homes, trees and other green plants are being planted all over Israel. There are also Tu B’Shvat events being celebrated in every part of the country. It is written in the Bible “When you come into the land you shall plant….” [Leviticus 19: