Happy Tu B’Shevat to our Jewish friends, friends who believe in the Jewish son of god (Jesus) or any religion!

Luckily my good friend Steph enlightened me: Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for Trees to the Jewish faith, or the cut-off date to calculate the tree’s bday.  This prevents one from eating fruit from a tree younger than 3 (or cradle-robbing trees!)

To celebrate, customs are to eat a new fruit on this day, or a food from the Seven Species (shivat haminim) which are wheat, barley, grapes (vines), figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.  Or you could plant a tree.

The holiday this year began during sunset last night – nightfall Feb 8, 2012… I suggest everyone either eats some fruits or plants a tree to help out the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Plant One Million campaign.  Personally, I’m going to celebrate by eating a Mango (tree fruit) with a side of Greek Salad (olives) and sing Happy Birthday to my baby bonsai tree.  (Isn’t he cute?)

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Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher