Sitting here in the Philadelphia suburbs with the trees (and everything else) wearing a thick, solid coat of snow, it's hard to imagine that, in Israel, the almond trees are starting to bloom and the sap is starting to rise. But they are, and it is.
Today is Tu B'shevat, the New Year for Trees, Jewish Arbor Day. My mom had a Tu B'Shevat seder, which is generally a lot shorter than the Passover version. It consists mainly of fruits, nuts and wine. One of her guests brought a new almond blossom from the Jerusalem Forest.
It's a lovely holiday.
Happy Tu B'Shevat!
