Yes, there is such a holiday! It is without champagne and Olivier, but no less fun. In Israel, this day (15 Shevat according to the Jewish calendar) is marked by mass planting of trees in forests, parks, and squares. Israelis come to the plantations in whole families, and it is so touching to see how even the smallest residents of the country proudly carry seedlings that are two to three times taller than their own height, how the little ones diligently plant and water the plants. Rest assured: a child who helps turn his country into a blooming garden from year to year will never intentionally damage a tree or break a branch.
Israel is perhaps the only country in the world with such a holiday and certainly the only territory on the planet where there are more trees in the 21st century than in the 20th. The tradition of mass tree planting arose with the beginning of the settlement of Eretz Israel by Zionist pioneers at the end of the 19th century. The peak of these works fell on the 50s of the last century. At that time, it was difficult to provide work for numerous repatriates, and the state, in order to give them at least some employment, initiated such socially useful work. Currently, the country's forestry occupies more than 120 thousand hectares, 95 percent (think about this figure) of Israel's forests are man-made.
Trees are a symbol of Jewish revival. The Torah compares a person to a tree and obliges every Jew to plant a tree in the Holy Land. Our people always strive to be closer to the Creator and understand the greening of their place of residence not as a recommendation, but as a commandment that must be fulfilled, therefore Israel is not called an oasis country, a garden country for nothing.
Our community widely celebrates Tu B'Shevat. Of course, in our latitudes we cannot plant trees on January 17. Nevertheless, yesterday in the Khmelnytskyi Community Center "Thia" our children drew wish trees, sowed green seeds in the soil, observing all agrotechnical requirements, and feasted on fruits that grow in the Holy Land. Today, an online conversation (using video materials about Tu B'Shevat) took place with the participants of the project "Let's connect!", and at the moment these lines are being printed, the children are coloring cookies in the shape of trees, which they themselves baked with their parents the day before. And they are not just coloring, but decorating them with various edible decorations. Masterpieces that are a pity to eat. The main thing is that during this creative work, the fund managers tell them that there is a small country of Israel, our historical homeland. It was bleak and desolate, but the hardworking Israeli people made it flourishing, fruitful, and comfortable for living.
Agree, Tu B'Shevat is a wonderful holiday. We congratulate you all, wish you good health and strength. And remember: since today we cannot fulfill the commandment to plant trees, we have a duty to the Almighty and nature. As soon as the weather allows us to plant trees, we will do it! Some at their own dacha, some under their house, some in a park or square. 







