Tu Bishvat – the festival where we celebrate the environment and the start of spring – was marked across our communities with services, sedarim, tree plantings and other events.

If you have an event to add to this round-up, please send it to SimonR@progressivejudaism.org.uk

Radlett Reform Synagogue went to Jewish Care Sandringham to plant trees as a Tu Bishvat mitzvah. Thanks to generous donations from TCV (The Conservation Volunteers), the community’s children, along with their parents and families, planted over 600 trees! Other events included a fruity Tu Bishvat Seder, led by Rabbi Elisheva Salamo – where the community learnt about and tasted from the seven species of Israel – and a special Tots Shabbat that saw the youngest members making fruit kebabs.

Menorah Synagogue Cheder hosted a lively Tu Bishvat Seder. The children were joined by other members of the community and everyone was able to participate in the hands-on activities, which included planting seeds spelling out Tu Bishvat in Hebrew, hopes for the future written on leaves placed on a tree, and singing songs which Cheder teachers Edie and Scarlett had taught the children. The Seder was followed by a chavurah (bring and share) lunch.

Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community held a Tu Bishvat Seder – organised and led by Rabbi Anna Gerrard – which included historical insights, readings, blessings and symbolic foods. The tables were covered in flowers and foliage to represent the festival’s significance, including today’s current climate concerns. They were designed by Paul Hervey-Brooks a garden designer and horticulturist who created them especially. He said: “When we read the story of Honi and the old man planting his carob tree for future generations, it felt like is exactly what we were doing planting a passion for Jewish learning and environmental activism in our youngest generations and beyond.”

Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue joined with Brighton and Hove Masorti Chavurah to celebrate a Tu biShvat Seder for the very first time. This unique event featured readings from the Haggadah, Kabbalistic insights, and passages from the Mishnah. Members also enjoyed various fruits, sang praises of the Land of Israel, shared delicious home-cooked vegetarian recipes, and, true to tradition, drank good wine and danced the night away. Rabbi Andrea Zanardo said: “This was the first event of this kind in Hove’s Jewish history, and the best attended by far. I have never seen so many people enjoying the Mishnah!”

East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue was full for a fun Tu Bisvhat Seder and service that included fruit tasting, grape juice mixing, necklace making and plenty of fun, laughter and song. Rabbi Richard Jacobi said: “Judaism marks this point in the year to show that the natural cycle of the northern hemisphere year is moving towards the time of visible re-birth. At a time when we can feel at our most low, it urges us to seek out the earliest blossoms and flowers so that we can know that greater warmth and growth is coming.”

Sinai Synagogue, Leeds held a joint tree planting ceremony with Leeds Masorti Equality Diversity, Leeds Jewish Welfare Board and Leeds Jewish Housing Association. Despite the cold conditions, the group planted a baby apple tree and had a great Seudah (third meal of Shabbat) afterwards.

Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue welcomed friends from across the faith communities to celebrate Tu Bishvat with the synagogue – as a reminder of our shared commitment to the environment and to climate justice.

Birmingham Progressive Synagogue joined with local Muslims and Christians, as well as the area’s asylum seekers, to celebrate Tu Bishvat by planting 10 fruit trees in a local park. Read the full story here.

Mosaic Jewish Community held a ‘tree-ly’ fruitful Tu Bishvat Seder. There was Torah learning, poetry, insightful discussion and more, as well as lots of delicious fruit, of course!

The Liberal Synagogue Elstree enjoyed a fabulous morning celebrating Tu Bishvat with cooking and planting. Everyone had fun and got to go home with lunch!

North Herts Progressive Jewish Community held an intergenerational Tu Bishvat Seder, led by Rabbi Paul Freedman, with a range of fruit to try… some of which were new to attendees.

Newcastle Reform Synagogue celebrated Tu Bishvat with a seder led by Student Rabbi Hannah Althorp. The evening began with children planting parsley seeds in flowerpots they had decorated with the intention being that the parsley will have grown to use at Pesach. Student Rabbi Hannah had selected a range of readings to accompany the drinking and eating of juices, symbolising our relationship with trees and their importance to our well being. Then at cheder the children learnt about trees and took part in adding their handprints to a wonderful wall hanging of a tree.

Harlow Jewish Community had a large crowd at their Tu Bishvat Seder, which was laden with pumpkins, figs, dates, oranges, bananas and other delicious fruits to share with friends. Rabbi Irit Shillor spoke about how the New Year for Trees is celebrated in Israel, albeit in a slightly warmer climate than Essex. Synagogue Chair Jon Kaye expressed his delight at such an enthusiastic gathering, saying: “Many of us learned so much from Rabbi Irit’s account of her own experiences of Tu Bishvat as a child in Israel.”