קשת KESHET

New Year for the Trees Tu B’Shvat Seder *This Haggadah is an example of a Tu B’Shvat Seder - to hold with your community or your family. At times, the MC should call on people from the audience to participate in the Seder.

MC: The seven species, or the fruit with which the land of Israel was blessed, are the seven different types of crops mentioned in the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) to describe the fertility of the land: “For the LORD thy God brength thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey.” To hold the Seder, we will need: Red wine White wine Challah Dates (or another pitted fruit) Olives Figs Grapes or raisins A citrus fruit Pomegranate Almonds or nuts Dried fruit

Creative activities and games for kids (Tu B’Shvat bingo, coloring papers and materials to make potted plants)

2 Lighting the holiday candles

MC: This Kabbalat Chag is intended for Tu B’Shvat. A holiday that is about planting. The new year for the trees. A holiday that is all about fruit - the seven species - that by the virtue of eating them, the trees will be filled to abundance. A holiday in which there are four glasses of wine that symbolize the different colors on the trees between the seasons.

An old tradition of the people of Israel Based on the ancient amendment (tikun) That the kabbalah scholars established. On the 15th night Of the month of Shvat, All of Israel gathers Around the set table, Eating from the fruit of our land And telling the praise of Israel.

3 Our fathers said (Mishna Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 1, Mishna 1): The four new years are: On the first of Nisan: the new year for the kings and for the festivals; On the first of Elul: the new year for the tithing of animals; On the first ofTishrei: the new year for years, for the Sabbatical years and for the Jubilee years and for the planting and for the vegetables. On the first of Shevat, the new year for the trees per the words of the House of Shammai; The House of Hillel says, on the fifteenth thereof. A young person from the community joins in: Why was the new year for the trees set for Tu B’Shvat? During the time of the Mishna, Tu B’Shvat was set as the new year for donations and enrichments - the taxes of that time. In tithing a portion of the donations and enrichments from the fruit tree harvest, our forefathers used to support the priests and the Levi’s, because they didn’t have an inheritance of fields and vineyards, and the poor, who couldn’t support themselves. Shvat is also the month when the blossoming season starts in Israel, and is the turning point between the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Everywhere we turn we’ll feel nature awaken. We have gathered as a community to celebrate the beauty of the land of Israel, and how fitting it is to start with the song “Hineh Ma Tov…”

4 Singing together: Hineh Ma Tov Lyrics: Psalm 133 Music: Folk tune

Hineh ma tov uma na'im Shevet achim gam yachad.

Hineh ma tov uma na'im Shevet achim gam yachad.

Chorus Hineh ma tov Shevet achim gam yachad. How good and pleasant it is For brothers & sisters to sit together.

How good and pleasant it is For brothers & sisters to sit together.

Chorus How good it is For brothers & sisters to sit together.

5 First Glass - White Wine

MC: We are ready to hold the mitzvah of drinking the first of four glasses of the Tu B’Shvat Seder. A man from the audience: White wine only - why? The white wine symbolizes fall and the first gray of Winter. When the power of the sun wanes, and the leaves sleep and fall. When the snow falls and the white flowers bloom:Squill, saffron and crocus, lily and narcissus. L’chaim!

Reading: In later generations, the people of Israel marked the fifteenth day of Shvat by eating the fruits of Israel. By eating them, the emotional connection to Israel was strengthened. This was the prayer of the kabbalah scholars:

"יהי רצון שבכוח סגולת אכילת הפירות, שנאכל ונברך עליהם עתה, יתמלאו מעוז שפע הודם, לשוב שנית, להגדילם ולהצמיחם מראשית השנה ועד אחרית השנה לטובה ולברכה לחיים טובים ולשלום".

6 Wheat Wheat is the first of the seven species our land was blessed with.

We will partake of a holiday challah, made from wheat flour, and say the blessing: “Hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz”. Singing together: Mal’u asameinu bar Lyrics: Pinchas Leder Music: David Zahavi

Mal'u asameinu bar viy'kaveinu yayin, Bateinu homim, homim mitinokot Uvehem'teinu porah - hey!

Mah od tevak'shi me'itanu mechorah, Ve'ein, ve'ein adayin? Mah od tevak'shi me'itanu mechorah, Ve'ein, ve'ein adayin? Fill up our barns with grain, our cellars with wine, Our houses bursting with babes And our cattle fruitful – hey!

What else can you ask of us, o homeland, That is not yet, not yet here? What else can you ask of us, o homeland, That is not yet, not yet here?

7 Olive The little fruit that we gather after shaking the tree for them to fall, is the king of all fruit trees. The tribe of Asher is charged with the main farming of the olive. This fruit is for eating, oil for light and for cooking, and an ingredient in many health products.

Singing together: Hineh Ma Tov Lyrics: Psalm 133 Music: Folk tune

Hineh ma tov uma na'im Shevet achim gam yachad.

Hineh ma tov uma na'im Shevet achim gam yachad.

Chorus Hineh ma tov Shevet achim gam yachad. How good and pleasant it is For brothers & sisters to sit together.

How good and pleasant it is For brothers & sisters to sit together.

Chorus How good it is For brothers & sisters to sit together.

8 Second Glass - Mostly White Wine and a Little Red Wine A person from the audience: Why white wine blended with a little red? The second glass symbolizes winter’s power getting weak. The first signs of spring and the pink blooms that decorate Israel during this season. The primrose, the almond, the redbud and the campion. L’chaim! Date We will taste from the date which is completely honey, and sing. Singing together: Tzadik Katamar Lyrics: Psalms Music: Amitai Ne’eman

Tsadik katamar yifrach Ke'erez bal'vanon yisgeh She-tulim be-veit Adonai B'chatsrot Eloheinu yafri-chu yafri-chu Od yenuvun b'seyvah d'sheinim v'ra-ananim yih-yu L'ha-gid ki yashar Adonai, Tsuri, tsuri v'lo, v'lo av-latah bo.

The righteous man shall flourish like the palm (tree) He shall thrive (grow tall) like a cedar in Lebanon.Rooted in the house of the LordIn the courtyards of our G-d They shall bring forth fruit in our old age they'll be ever fresh and green, Proclaiming that the Lord is just, my Rock, in whom there is no wrong. 9 Grapevine We will taste the sweet raisins and think on the grapes, and the wine that makes people happy. Singing together: Hashkediyah porachat Lyrics: Yisrael Dushman Music: Menashe Ravina

Hashkediyah porachat The almond tree is blooming Veshemesh paz zorachat, And the golden sun is shining, Tziporim merosh kol gag Birds atop each roof Mevasrot et bo hachag. Announcing the arrival of the festival.

Tu B’Shvat higiya Tu B’Shvat has arrived Chag la'ilanot. (it's) the festival of trees. Tu bish'vat higiya Tu B’Shvat has arrived Chag la'ilanot. (it's) the festival of trees.

Ha'aretz meshava'at The land is crying out Higiyah et lata'at The time of planting has arrived Kol echad yikach lo etz Each person shall take a tree Be'atim nitzeh chotzetz. We'll stride out with spades.

Tu B’Shvat higiya... Tu B’Shvat has arrived...

Hashemesh zorachat The sun is shining Vecham me'od hayom. And it's very hot today Ani mekavah mezeg ha'avir I hope the weather Sheyisha'er bahir. Stays bright.

Tu B’Shvat has arrived... Tu B’Shvat higiya...

10 Third Glass - Half White Wine and Half Red Wine A person from the audience: Why half white wine and half red wine? This glass symbolizes spring. The plants enjoy both the red - it is the heat of the sun and the white - it is the rains of winter, hidden in the ground. This combination bestows the spring’s vibrancy and life, and from the land the yellow flowers bloom: the chrysanthemum, the mustard, the calicotome villosa, and the acacia. L’chaim! Fig We will taste a fig and say: Compare the doctrine to the fig. Every fruit has waste. Dates have pits, grapes have seeds. Pomegranates have a peel, but a fig can be eaten in its entirety! Almond We will look at a flowering branch of an almond treeAnd enjoy the wonderful blooms.We will eat of the fruit of the tree and enjoy its rich taste.

Reading: Since the new Jewish settlement in the state of Israel, this vision of the blooming almond tree has become the flag of Tu B’Shvat. The almond orchards that were first planted in the region of Yehuda and later in the lower galilee used to already flower around Tu B’Shvat, and made their mark on the renewing holiday. 11

The Luz (luz - almond) orchards in the Arab villages also made for wonderful scenery for the holiday when they bloomed. It seems that Yisrael Dushman’s song about the blooming shkediya (almond tree) was the song that instilled in children, and later in adults, the change of the name shkediya to shaked (almond). Carob A person from the audience: Why do we eat this carob? The carob - haruv in Hebrew - comes from the root of herev and hurban (demolition and destruction) and is the humblest of the fruit and the last of them. It is all made of peel, but its lovers know that its insides are honey.

Honi Hame’agel used to walk on the road, and saw a man planting a carob tree. He said: “The carob, how many years does it give fruit?” The man said: “For seventy years”. He said: “Do you know you will live for seventy years?” The man said: “I have found the world in carobs. As my forefathers planted for me, I will plant for my son”.

12 Fourth Glass - All of Red Wine A person from the audience: Why red wine? The red wine symbolizes the summer - the heat. This is the time of year when the red flowers bloom: The poppy, the buttercup and the pomegranate buds and the ripening of the red fruit, the plum, the apple, the grapes and the watermelon. L’chaim! Singing together:

Makhela Aliza Lyrics: Leah Naor Music: Nurit Hirsch Al rosh habrosh shebechatzer simcha vahamulah, sham kol hatziporim ba'ir hekimu mak'helah.

Ha'efronit hasolanit nik'tah et hagaron, shilvah kanaf, zak'fah makor vegam patz'chah beron.

Tzif tzif, sh'rik sh'rak bul bul bul bul bil bal lah lah lah vechol mi shesham'a amar vechol mi sheyishma yomar ach eizo mak'helah.

Pit'om hif'sik et hashirah pashosh echad za'ir, im ein milim ve'ein tavim hu lo muchan lashir.

"Anachnu lo rotzim milim," rag'zu habul'bulim, "anachnu, gam lelo milim, nora mit'balbelim" 13 Tzif tzif...

Has'nuniyot kat'vu tavim al chut ve'al g'derot, tuki echad limed otan milim nehedarot.

Alfei d'rorim ve'efronim par'tzu miyad beshir, umikolot habul'bulim hit'balbelah ha'ir.

Tzif tzif...

"Oi dai kvar, dai lachem lashir," tza'ak pit'om habrosh, "lechu lishon, kvar me'uchar ko'ev li kvar harosh"

Ha'opereta hayafah lo ba'ah ad/el sofah - machar yetzaf'tzefu kontzert al etz hatzaf'tzefah.

Tzif tzif...

MC: At the end of the Seder it is customary to do a mitzvah of planting. We, on the other hand…

Reading: A tree I planted on the holiday of trees in my little garden To the soil of my garden I said: You and I are forever connected by this soft sapling, that will grow and grow.

An activity for children: making potted plants. 14 Singing together: Od lo tamu kol pla’ayich Lyrics: Yoram Teharlev Music: Rami Kleinstein

Artzeinu hak'tantonet, artzeinu hayafah moledet bli kutonet, moledet yechefah kablini el shiraich, kalah yefehfiyah pitchi li she'araich avo bam odeh ya.

Betzel atzei hachoresh, herchak me'er chamah yach'dav nakeh po shoresh el lev ha'adamah el mayanot hazoher, el be'erot hatom moledet le'lo to'ar vetzo'anei yatom.

Od lo tamu kol pilayich od hazemer lo shat od libi makeh im leil velochesh lo bile'at: At li rak, at ha'achat at li at, em uvat at li at hame'at hame'at shenotar.

Navi bevigdeinu et reiach hak'farim befa'amon libeinu yaku ha'adarim, yeshnah d'mamah roga'at vekeren or yafah, ule'orah nif'sa'ah beregel yechefah.

Od lo tamu...

15 A land whose garment's shabby, a land whose feet are bare, You are the apple of my eye by morning and by night, Oh, let me hear your music, my own beloved bride, Open up the portals, and I'll give thanks inside.

Within the shaded forest where sun can never reach, We'll put down roots together into the earth beneath, Into the wells of beauty, the fountains clean and pure, My homeland ever humble, a nomad proud and poor.

They'll never cease, your wonders, Your song remains, I know, My heart is at your mercy, And whispers soft and low: My own little land, you are mine, You are my sister, my own, You and you alone, All that is left.

The fragrance of the village to our robes will cling, The sheep bells in the meadow within our hearts will ring. And in the peaceful twilight with one soft ray of light, We'll stroll as joyful lovers, we'll walk with naked feet.

They'll never cease, your wonders...

16 Reading: What is it like to be a tree/Datya Ben-Dor I once asked a tree: “Tree, what is it like to be a tree?” “You must be joking”- Said the tree. “No, I’m not”, I said. “With all seriousness. Is it good or bad?” “Bad?!” - wondered the tree - “why?” “And don’t you care that you’re stuck all week?” “I’m not stuck. I am, after all, planted.” “And don’t you sometimes feel like going to visit friends, or see what it’s like in different places?” “I don’t have any need to move or go anywhere. Birds sing for me all the time, butterflies kiss me, the wind caresses me, and the entire horizon is open to me”. “And at night, when everyone sleeps, then what?” “At night I listen to the silence And hear How the land breathes, How the fruit ripens, How the rain falls And in my branches chicks are sleeping And I guard their sleep.”

“I love you, tree” - I said, And I went to my garden And planted a tree in front of my window.

17 Singing together: Eretz Music and Lyrics: Shaike Paikov

Eretz, eretz, eretz, eretz t'chol en av, vehashemesh lah kid'vash vechalav. Eretz ba noladnu, eretz ba nichyeh, veneshev bah yihyeh ma sheyihyeh.

Eretz shenohav, hi lanu em va'av, eretz shel ha'am, eretz le'olam. Eretz ba noladnu, eretz ba nichye, yihyeh ma sheyihyeh.

Eretz, eretz, eretz, yam el mul hachof uf'rachim viy'ladim bli sof. Batzafon Kineret, badarom cholot, umizrach lema'arav noshek gvulot.

Eretz shenohav...

Eretz, eretz, eretz, eretz hatorah, at mekor ha'or us'fat ha'emunah. Eretz, eretz, eretz, eretz yekarah, hen hivtacht she'ein zo agadah.

Eretz shenohav... 18 A land, a land, a land, a land of a light blue sky without a cloud, and the sun is to it (to the land) like milk and honey. A land we were born in a land we will live in, and we will continue living here no matter what happens.

A land that we'll love, like Mother and Father, a land of the people, a land forever. A land we were born in a land we will live in, no matter what happens.

A land, a land, a land, the sea up against the shore, and flowers and children without end. In the North - the Sea of Galilee, In the South - sands, And the East to the West kisses the borders.

A land that we'll love...

A land, a land, a land, land of the Torah, you're the source of light and the language of faith. A land, a land, a land, a dear land, you promised that it is not a fairytale.

A land that we'll love... 19 Singing together: Rav halaila Lyrics: Ya’akov Orland Lyrics: Hassidic folk tune

Rav halailah, rav shireinu Shuv shuvi venisov, haboke'a lashamaim, ki darkeinu eiin lah sof, shuvi shuvi horateinu, ki od nimshechet hasharsheret, mechudeshet shiv'ataim. ki libeinu lev echad Shuvi shuvi venisov, me'olam ve'adei ad, ki darkeinu eiin lah sof, ki od nimshechet hasharsheret. ki od nimshechet hasharsheret, ki libeinu lev echad Od, ve'od... me'olam ve'adei ad, ki od nimshechet hasharsheret. Here ends the Od, ve'od Tu B’Shvat Seder. ve'od, ve'od, ve'od, Chag Sameach! harikud al ya'amod, vehazamar al yishkot, harikud al ya'amod vehazamar al yishkot, yad el yad, shir el shir, shir el shir, yad el yad, horah ma'agal echad!

Ay, ay, ya, yom valailah, yom valeil, at bo'eret li balev, lach kochoteinu od lo tamu, horah, horah, divrei shir, behareicha or me'ir, ki elef dor aleicha kamu.

Niguneinu, nigunaich od olim el hashamaim, shuvi shuvi el b'naich, 20 el chomot Yerushalaim. קשת KESHET

הפתעה במעטפה! מנוי שנתי לספרי ילדים ב 10 דולר לשנה בלבד! Monthly Hebrew books for children, only $10 a year!

הרשמו היום לתכנית!

לפרטים נוספים ולהצטרפות לתוכנית: www.iackeshetsfarim.org