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Jewish people all over the world celebrate the new year !ט”ו בשבט It’s Tu BiShvat of trees and the beginning of spring in by planting trees in our homeland through Jewish National Fund!

Do you know the history of Tu BiShvat? Try the re- ! ט”ו בשבט below to find out more! Happy Tu BiShvat

* = interpretations of the Torah that were compiled about 2000 years ago. Your Favorite Tree! Varie-TREE! Grownups + Kids = Fun WHAT KIND OF TREE WOULD YOU BE? TRY THIS FUN QUIZ ON YOUR FAMILY!

Trees, like people, are all different, and each has something special to offer. Jewish writings tell about the trees and how, like people, each is important in its own way. Try this fun quiz. Read each question and circle one answer. Then read the TREE KEY to find out what kind of tree YOU would be!

1. It’s your mother’s birthday. You: A. Save your allowance for three weeks and buy her a nice present. B. Plan a fancy family celebration. C. Create a homemade gift and card for her. D. Invite all your aunts, uncles, cousins and friends to a big surprise party for her.

2. As you’re walking home one day you see a small child crying because lost his dog. You: A. Go right home and print up flyers with the dog’s description and post them all over town. B. Run home and call the animal warden to help. C. Walk around with the child calling the dog’s name. D. Round up a group of friends to help the child look for his dog.

3. Your friend forgot to bring her lunch to school. You: A. Give her half of yours. You weren’t that hungry and the extra food would have just been wasted anyway. B. Lend her money to buy a snack. C. Share your lunch with her, and then buy a snack which you also share. D. Get contributions from everyone at your table to make up a big lunch for her.

TREE KEY: Two or more A’s: you are a practical PALM. In ancient times, all the parts of the palm were used: the sweet dates were eaten, a leafy branch made a lulav, the fibers were used for ropes, and the trunks became the main beams of houses.

Two or more B’s: you are the royal OLIVE TREE. Hard to grow, olives that grew on those trees gave valuable oil which was Beit Hamikdash, the holy שָדְקִמַה תיֵב used in ceremonies in Temple in Jerusalem.

Two or more C’s: you are the sweet FIG TREE. Although not used in ceremonies, the fruit of the fig tree was very important in ancient Israel. Known as “summer fruit,” figs were eaten both fresh and dried.

Two or more D’s: you are the fruit of the vine, a happy, is ֶפָגַה יִרְפ אֵרוב ”gregarious GRAPE! “Borei p’ri hagafen included in every celebration!

More than one of each letter: you are a hybrid – a mixture of all the good things trees give!