Tu B’Shvat is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. While not the most well known holiday, it contains great wisdom within it. The medieval scholar Rashi notes that Tu B’Shvat marks the moment when the sap begins to rise up in a tree. Tu B’Shvat teaches us to celebrate growth, even when such progress is not immediately apparent.
In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration. This holiday is dedicated to preserving the environment and keeping the beautiful world that God created in good condition.
When we moved to Southern California from New York City, this native New Yorker fell in love with the the redwood forests on our drives up north along the awesome coast of California. This beauty opened up an environmental awareness in me as I turned over a new leaf so to say. I painted this piece and it was published by Farrar Strauss and Giroux our first year in California. While I myself am Christian, I have learned about this Jewish holiday because of having taught art at a Jewish day school here in Los Angeles, California. When I look at it this painting I remember to be thankful for the beautiful trees and continue to draw inspiration from them. #trees #growth #change #newyear #tub'shvat #January27 #newyearfortrees
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