Tu B’Shvat, Conscious Eating, and the Jewish Call to Return

Orange trees in Israel’s northern Galilee region. Photo: פואד מועדי / Wikimedia Commons

Tu B’Shvat, the Jewish New Year for the Trees, is often celebrated simply: fruit on the table, blessings over figs and dates, and a nod to nature in the middle of winter. For those who do things a bit more lavishly, a ceremony or seder is conducted.

But at its core, the holiday of Tu B’Shvat is far more than a seasonal celebration. It is a day that offers a profound Jewish teaching about food, responsibility, and the possibility of return.