If on the Jewish Tradition the first day of month Tishrey, Rosh-ha-Shana is a New Year for the people, 15 Shvat - is New Year of trees. Tu-bi-Shvat usually falls on the period from middle of January to middle of February and is celebrated in Israel by planting of trees. In Israel this day also mark by the contribution to National Jewish fund of plantation. It is interesting, that in other countries the Jews plant on Tu-bi-Shvat only one-years plants, that "not to adhere by soul" to other country, and to aspire to return in The Promised Land.

Worldwide Jews observing Traditions, try to eat on Tu-bi-Shvat food symbolizing fertility. First of all, it is seven kinds of fruit and cereals mentioned in the book Dvarim: dates, olives, grapes, figs, cherry, sunflower seeds, peanuts. Or these are: wheat, barley, fig, grapes, pomegranates, olives, dates.

And more Tu-bi-Shvat separates a crop of old year from crop of new. At this time in ancient Israel the farmers brought in a temple tithe. On Tradition drank four glasses of wine (or juice), symbolizing transition of old year in new: a glass of light wine, on two third light and third dark, on third light both two third dark, and glass of dark wine.

On past Sunday in Jewish Community Center children celebrated Tu-bi-Shvat. For the beginning presenter Olga Drobnokhod divided all participants of a holiday into seven teams, on number of fruits. The first task was to guess the names of the teams, with what the guys coped quickly. In the second competition children searched for marks of the teams hidden in different places of Community Center. The hints - verses helped them.

In what places the guys did not find symbols of the team: under a box for Tzdaka, near the TV set, near to the fan - in general, it was cheerful and interesting. In the following competition children made crossword puzzles of words having the relation to a holiday and Traditions: Torah, Shvat, tithe, temple, Shabbat.

Useful were mathematical sums, in which the guys calculated, what part of a crop they should bring in a temple, if they were the farmers.

The guys with the helps of presenter told, that they know about a holiday. About each fruit was told a lot of good. Barley - is one of most drought-resisting cereals. Wheat - is basis of each meal. Pomegranate is like Jewish people: it consists of many grains and at the same time is uniform. This fruit is long stored. Fig is - prototype of a paradise fruit: it is eaten wholly, leaving neither stones nor peel. The oil of olive burns in Menorah. The branch of olive is and in the arms of Israel. A grapes - is symbol of fertility. Without blessing on wine does not manage any Shabbat. And, at last, date - the sweetest fruit, has the direct relation to a phrase "The land of milk and honey". From ripe dates nectar flows down on ground, and from udder of goats, reared on corpulent pastures, the milk flows.

When the competitions finished, decided, that the friendship has won and prize - "gold olive" , consisting from sweets - have divided between all the gathered.

Usually on Tu-bi-Shvat it is necessary also to plant seeds of plants, but this year - is Shabbat, and the ground should have a rest. Thus from competitions at once send to a celebratory table, on which by sweetness of fruits with pleasure enjoyed both children, and mums, and grandmothers.

Ocsana Katzimon