Shavei Israel communities celebrate Tu B’Shvat 2015 around the world
Last week the Jewish world celebrated Tu B’Shvat, the annual “New Year for the Trees,” and Shavei Israel’s communities joined in the fun by holding parties, planting trees and eating plenty of fruits and nuts. From Portugal to Poland, Bogota to Beit Shemesh, “Lost” and “Hidden” Jewish communities had their fill of almonds, cashews, olives, apricots, figs and even the occasional cranberry. Here’s a round-up of pictures and stories from some of those celebrations.
Portuguese group planting a tree for Tu B’Shvat
Portugal – Shavei Israel’s emissary to the Bnei Anousim in Portugal, Rabbi Elisha Salas, marked the holiday with a new group of students in the small town of Seixal, near Lisbon. During their festivities, they screened a film called Miracles of Israel, which traced Jewish history from Abraham to the present, and they planted a tree in honor of the holiday.
Rabbi Ellis leads a Tu B’Shvat Seder in Poland
Poland – Shavei Israel emissary Rabbi Yehoshua Ellis sent us some stunning black and white photos of the Tu B’shvat party held in Katowice. Rabbi Ellis led a Tu B’Shvat Seder, a Kabbalistic custom initiated in the 16th century, where different fruits and nuts are eaten together with the appropriate blessings while stories are told that highlight the spiritual significance of each food. Thirty people participated. Rabbi Ellis led a second Seder the following night in the Polish town of Gilwice.
Subbotnik Jews celebrate with emissary Rabbi Zelig Avrasin in Beit Shemesh
As it has for the past several years, the Subbotnik Jewish community in Beit Shemesh organized a Tu B’Shvat Seder in the Netzach Menashe synagogue. Rabbi Zelig Avrasin, Shavei Israel’s emissary to the Subbotnik community in both Israel and Russia, presided over the festivities, which included snacks, music and two books written in Russian especially for the Subbotnik Jews: one published last year by Shavei Israel for Tu B’Shvat, and a brand new book on the traditions of Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the Jewish month. We’ll have more details on that next week.
Bogota likes its bananas at Tu B’Shvat time
In the picture to the right, you can see the Bnei Anousim community at the Har Sinai synagogue in Bogota, Colombia, celebrating with some very South American looking bananas.
El Salvador comes out in force for Tu B’Shvat
And to the left, some pictures from Colombia’s neighbor to the northwest, El Salvador. These are from the large group Seder held by the Bnei Anousim communities in the town of Armenia and the country’s capital San Salvador.
Finally, we fly to China…by way of Israel. Our pictures of the Chinese Jewish community celebrating Tu B’Shvat this year were actually taken here in the Holy Land, where some of the Chinese Jewish men whom Shavei Israel has helped to make aliyah over the past several years joined a Hebrew University group that included students from China who are studying in Jerusalem, and Israelis who are enrolled in Hebrew U’s Chinese and East Asian Studies program.
Combined Chinese New Year – Tu B’Shvat celebration in Jerusalem
Together they marked both Tu B’Shvat and the Chinese New Year, which takes place on February 19, and like Tu B’Shvat, signifies the beginning of the spring season. In the pictures, the Jews from China are shown in their army uniforms; the student in the suit and tie served as the emcee and English-to-Chinese translator. The evening was sponsored by the Israeli advocacy organization Stand with Us and included a dramatic Kung Fu demonstration. But the clear highlight was when the Chinese Jews retold the inspiring story of how they made the long journey from the tiny Jewish community in Kaifeng to become proud and fully Jewish IDF soldiers.
Chinese Jews celebrating Tu B’Shvat in Jerusalem