CU2-16

2:16 **Title:** Tu B’Shvat – Farming origins and relation to Jewish Polytheism. 1.  **Gain the attention of the learner.** Bring a plant to class, ask students to list what the plant needs to survive. Like plants humans need the same things or else they won’t survive.(Bring items from your trashcan at home. Ask students to evaluate them for reusability) 2.  **Review relevant past learning.** Rosh Hashanah is the new year of the calendar. Tu B’Shvat is also considered a new year celebration. It is the beginning of a new growing cycle.(Tu B’Shvat marks the beginning of new growing season in Israel from ancient times until today) 3.  ** Present new material. Je** ws originally worshipped several gods (polytheistic, monolatrous) with Yahweh, El, Baal and Asherte mentioned in the Bible. Asherte was the consort (like a wife) of Baal(?) and she represented, (was responsible for) fertility. Tu B’Shvat began as a celebration in honor of Asherte, and when Judaism becamemonotheistic, the worship of gods such as Asherte became unkosher. The holiday then came to celebrate The New Year For Trees. It was originally celebrated on Shevat 1, but was shifted to the 15th day of the month by Rabbi Hillel (fl. 30 b.c.e. – 10 c.e.) The “Just So” explanation is that on that day the sap begins to rise in the fruit trees of the Holy Land. It is customary to eat the fruits and nuts of trees that grow in Israel. In some parts it is the practice to sit up the previous night and recite passages of the Bible that deal with trees and fruits or with the fertility of the earth. In modern Israel, the practices of the American Arbor day have been adopted to the celebration of Tu B’Shvat with Jews in Israel planting saplings and those elsewhere collecting money for the reforestation of Israel.(From Gaster) More recently, Jews in the United States observe the holiday by planting trees or seeds and associating the holiday with Tikkun Olam or repairing the world. Thus the celebration of the holiday has changed from a fertility rite associated with spring planting to planting of trees and now to Tikkun Olam as the needs and beliefs of the celebrants have changed. 4.  **Provide guided practice.** Divide the class into small groups. To each group assign a different time period and the associated way of celebrating Tu B’Shat. Each group will prepare a short pantomime skit depicting its assigned time period. Each group will perform its pantomime and the class will have to guess what was being celebrated. As an alternate or If time permits, as an addition, each group will invent a new reason for celebrating the holiday and create a skit (talking allowed) to show how and why it is celebrated. The class will guess the what and why of the new celebration. 5.  **Provide independent practice.** It is customary to have a fruit feast for Tu B’Shvat, ask students to brainstorm a list of fruits that they could have at their feast. Record all the choices on the chalkboard. Draw a picture of one of the ways of celebrating Tu B’Shvat. Include some of the fruits or vegetables appropriate for the celebration the picture they chose to depict. Close the lesson. **Play ‘I am going to the Tu B’Shvat Celebration with …’ and have each child suggest an ending by going through the alphabet from A to Z with their choices. Share pictures and add them to their Holiday Passports. Point out that some American holidays have been adjusted to create long weekends (e.g. President’s Day)**
 * Goals:** Students will learn the origins of Tu B’Shvat in the worship of Asherte and its relation to the farming cycle. Students will learn the modern association with the Tikkun Olam.
 * Materials:** lined paper, pencils, construction paper, crayons.