Project Spotlight: Blessing the Elderly with Tu B’Shvat Cheer!

The Fellowship  |  February 5, 2018

This past week, the Jewish community celebrated the New Year of the Trees, or Tu B’Shvat. During this holiday the women who participate in the Fellowship-supported Yemin Orde Pre-Army Leadership Program for Girls visited the elderly to plant herbs together. “Thank you! You made the holiday!” said one of the elderly participants.

Planting trees, herbs, or any plant on Tu B’Shvat has become a popular Israeli custom. You can learn more about why Jews celebrate this holiday during the winter instead of the spring here. During Tu B’Shvat – which asks us to look at the miracles in nature – God teaches us that renewal and improvement are always possible. Year after year, first comes winter, where everything is seemingly dead, but then spring always arrives with new life – and plants bloom once again.

Planting herbs is a way to to give back to the community and prepare for future generations – and the elderly participants were thrilled to spend time with the Yemin Orde girls. “What beautiful girls! How happy it makes me that they haven’t forgotten us!” said an elderly participant.

Another said, “I hope we’ll also meet during the upcoming holidays!”

All the participants enjoyed spending time outdoors, making new friends, and celebrating the holiday with cheer.