--- title: "Tree Hugging on \"Jewish Earth Day,\" from Philly to Israel" description: "It's Tu B'shvat! Known as Festival of the Trees, the holiday is celebrated with \nspecial seders, tree planting, and other agricultural traditions." image: https://blog.jewishphilly.org/hubfs/jan-huber-4OhFZSAT3sw-unsplash.jpg --- [![Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia](https://blog.jewishphilly.org/hubfs/JewishFederation_May2019/images/logo--color.svg)](https://jewishphilly.org/) - [Philly Stands With Israel](https://go.jewishphilly.org/philly-stands-with-israel) - - [Donate to Philly Stands with Israel Fund](https://donate.jewishphilly.org/page/66252/donate/1) - [Community Resources](https://jewishphilly.org/philly-stands-with-israel-resources/) - [Emergency Allocations](https://jewishphilly.org/ways-to-give/donate-emergency-response-fund/emergency-allocations/) - - [Advocate](https://jewishphilly.org/philly-stands-with-israel-resources/advocate/) - [Israel in the News](https://go.jewishphilly.org/israel-in-the-news) - [Sign up for Israel Emergency Emails](https://go.jewishphilly.org/israel-emergency-emails) - 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It’s true: Jews are natural born tree-huggers. And just as we celebrate Arbor Day in America, Judaism has the holiday of *Tu B’Shvat*. Known as “Festival of the Trees,” the holiday, which this year falls on February 10th, is celebrated as a sort of Jewish Earth Day, with *Tu B’shvat* seders and tree plantings — the latter of which looms large in Jewish tradition. Planting a tree signifies hope, since it represents the optimism that future generations will live to see that tree grow to maturity. “Just as my ancestors planted for me, so I will plant for my children,” says the Talmud. In fact, the Talmud says — with a ring of Sholom Aleichem-like humor — that tree-planting is so important that if you’re holding a sapling and happen to see the Messiah coming, “first plant the tree, *then* greet the *Moshiach.*” As a practical matter, modern-day Israel puts just as much emphasis on trees. Careful reforestation efforts over the past century by the Jewish National Fund have transformed deserts into farmland and even forests. Maintaining and replacing millions of hand-planted trees requires constant care, but Israelis insist the effort is well worth it for the environmental benefits, like improving air quality, absorbing greenhouse gases, providing shade, improving storm water control, reducing summertime air temperature through the release of water vapor and adding a cheerful dose of nature to city landscapes. All those reasons also hold true in Philadelphia, which is why recently Philly has also made a huge commitment to planting trees. The city forestry program [TreePhilly](http://treephilly.org/) has provided over 21,500 free trees for planting in city streets and yards; and the [Pennsylvania Horticultural Society](https://phsonline.org/programs/phs-trees/) plants over 1,000 trees throughout the region every year, plus trains local volunteers on tree maintenance to ensure their survival. So for *Tu B’shevat* this year, get in touch with *your* inner tree hugger! Sign up to become a [Tree Tender](https://phsonline.org/programs/tree-tenders/) in your community and join the movement to make our world a little greener. *Chag sameach!* Share [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.jewishphilly.org/tu-bshvat&title=Tree%20Hugging%20on) [Share on Twitter](http://twitter.com/home?status=Tree%20Hugging%20on) [Share by Email](mailto:?subject=Tree%20Hugging%20on) ### Sign up for the *Jewish Philly* E-Newsletter [Back to The Latest](https://blog.jewishphilly.org) [Tweets by JFedinPhilly](https://twitter.com/JFedinPhilly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## Find us on ![JFGP_KO_rgb](https://blog.jewishphilly.org/hs-fs/hubfs/JFGP_KO_rgb.png?width=300&height=84&name=JFGP_KO_rgb.png) Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Two Commerce Square 2001 Market Street, Suite 2300 Philadelphia, PA 19103 [215.832.0500](tel:1-215-832-0500) | [info@jewishphilly.org](mailto:info@jewishphilly.org) *The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia welcomes the participation of Jews across the religious spectrum, interfaith couples and families, and people of all abilities, backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientations. 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