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For an evening of food, fun & friendship with Keren Alpert and Rabbi Syme
Look for your e-vitations in your mail.
Do we have your email address & snail mail addresses?
Email jrolnick@tbeonline.org or
fax to 248-851-1187 or call 248-851-1100, ext. 3143.
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by ARLENE KELLER, PRINCIPAL
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 IT’S TIME TO MARK
TU B’SHEVAT!
By Arlene Keller, Religious School Principal
If you have a child in our religious school, by now you’ve probably received an envelope from the Jewish National Fund asking you to purchase a tree to be planted in Israel celebrating the holiday of Tu B’ Shevat.
The Tu in Tu B’Shevat is not actually a word, but stands for the number 15 as in the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat which is the day a tree became a year older.
Tu B’Shevat did not have great religious implications; it was the way landowners were taxed on their trees. Rosh Hashana is the Jewish birthday of the world – Tu B’Shevat is the Jewish birthday of the trees. A paragraph in Leviticus stated that fruit could not be eaten from a tree the first three years; the fourth year’s fruit belonged to G-d. It wasn’t until the fifth year, that a tree could be profitable or the fruit eaten. It was a somewhat complicated calculation depending on the exact day the tree was planted to determine the age of the tree.
Here at Temple Beth El, the children celebrate and honor the holiday of Tu B’Shevat in many ways. We teach how planting and saving trees has helped shape Israel’s land development besides helping the world’s environment in general. While we always try to "be" green, we do tend to stress Tikun Olam or taking care of the world a little more at this time. Many of our classes do a "growing project". Your child might come home soon with a small flowerpot filled with dirt and bean, grass or herb seeds. The children love to watch their plantings grow!
In pre-kindergarten through second grades, the children have a Tu B’Shevat seder in their classrooms. Each child is given a plate with food items that represent the foods that grew abundantly in ancient Israel. Most of our students are familiar with pomegranates (one of the foods) and will taste them readily; the figs are a different story, so we substitute a Fig Newton!
The fifth graders get a chance to experience a Tu B’Shevat seder with their family during the Roots Program. It is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to learn about Israel in a fun and food filled way! In Israel, Tu B’Shevat means spring has arrived; here in Michigan it’s a ways off as it might snow any day. So even though it’s a bit early to put our winter boots away, it’s never too early to take care of our world.
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Dine Out & Support the Religious School!
LUNCH @ MR. JOE’S
26077 West 12 Mile Road
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 12:15 PM
$10 per person: Includes lunch & non-alcoholic beverage
Thanks go to Mr. Joe’s & Mike Abrams for their generous support. Your entire $10 lunch fee will go to the TBE Religious School for purchase of new technology.
RSVP to 248-865-0612 by Sunday, January 22
If you cannot join us, your donations are welcome!
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 Enjoy A Sweet Passover With Sweets From
The Religious School
The Religious School is conducting its annual PASSOVER CANDY SALE January 2-February 15. On sale are BARTONS Kosher for Passover Confections. Every package bears the U seal of Kashrut.
A generous 40% of the proceeds from this sale underwrite Religious School projects.
Please support our school by completing and returning the order form to the Religious School Office with your check payable to Temple Beth El by February 15. 2012. Thank you.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ORDER FORM TODAY!
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