Plant a Seed for Tu B'Shvat

Attention Jewish sluggies and tree-huggers! Tonight at sundown on Sunday, February 12, starts the New Year for the Trees on the Jewish calendar, known popularly as ט"ו שבט (Tu B'Shvat, literally "the 15th of the month of Shvat"). It's traditional to taste a new fruit that you haven't had yet this year, especially if you can get one of the seven special kinds that grow in Israel, and especially if you can get ones actually grown in Israel. Today, people also have a custom to plant a tree, or at least some kind of plant, on Tu B'Shvat. So, if not for Bob Marley, or for Tradition, or for me, then at least do it for the sake of your children and grandchildren, and please, plant a seed. For more info on what Tu B'Shvat is all about and what you can do for it, check out Chabad.org, Jewschool.com, or JNF.org.

In related news, the determined people behind katif.net have come up with a special Tu B'Shvat offer: Buy and plant testimonial trees, and help finance the commemoration of Gush Katif. Click here for virtual planting.