Tu B'Shvat in PKA

 Tu B'Shvat is a holiday that falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, celebrating the trees and specifically the special 7 species of foods that grow in Israel. Why are we talking about germinating seeds and growing trees in the middle of the winter?! Because it is during this time that the trees begin waking up from their long winter sleep, even though on the outside they seem quite dead. The sap in the trees is beginning to move and the potential for growth has begun.

We've prepared for Tu B'Shvat by planting our own seeds in flower pots. First we scooped soil into our pots with a spoon.

Next, we exercised our fine motor skills by picking up a few tiny seeds and placing them in the soil.

Finally, we watered them with spray bottles! We continued to water them daily and observe their growth.

The 7 special foods of Israel are wheat, barley, grapes, dates, figs, pomegranates and olives. On Monday we tasted some of these foods during snack! We said the bracha of Mezonot on our tea biscuits and Haeitz on the fruit. 

Here's the Tu B'Shvat song we've been singing in English and Hebrew:

Hashkediyah porachat

Veshemesh paz zorachat,

Tziporim merosh kol gag

Mevasrot et bo hachag.

Tu bishvat higiya

Chag la'ilanot.

Tu bish'vat higiya

Chag la'ilanot.

The sun is shining, the trees are growing,

The birds are singing to tell us the news.

Tu B'Shvat is here, it's the New Year for the trees,

Tu B'Shvat is here, it's the New Year for the trees!