Tu B’Shvat
ABOUT US
Adamah cultivates vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the Earth, catalyzing culture change and systemic change through Environmental Education, Immersive Retreats, and Climate Action.
The Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM), founded in 2020 by Adamah, is a Gen Z-led movement dedicated to combating climate change and environmental injustice from a Jewish lens. We are empowering the next generation of Jewish youth to be leaders in our fight to build a sustainable and equitable world for all through Jewish environmental education, climate action, and community building. Check out our website! To learn more and get involved, reach out to the JYCM team: jycm@adamah.org.
Kvutzot, local chapters, are the heart and soul of our movement. We’ve started over 80 kvutzot nationwide, which engage in teen-led Jewish climate justice programming, projects, and actions in a range of communities, such as Jewish day schools, synagogues, and JCCs. Our local chapters tap into JYCM resources, including dozens of toolkits and trainings, to help lead their communities towards lasting change.
PROGRAMS
College Students: Adamah on Campus
Adamah on Campus is building a joyful, resilient generation of Jewish leaders through Jewish environmental education, climate action, and community building. Adamah on Campus supports students nationwide through leadership development, immersive experiences, and a national peer network of support. To learn more and get involved, reach out to the Adamah Campus team: adamahoncampus@adamah.org.
Institutions: Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition
The Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition is a collective of Jewish community organizations that recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of the climate crisis and are committed to action. Jewish organizations everywhere are invited to join the Coalition. There is no cost to membership. To learn more about the Coalition please visit: Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition | Adamah | People. Planet. Purpose.
To learn more and find other Tu B’Shvat and holiday resources, visit Adamah’s website here: https://adamah.org/resources and search for Tu B’Shvat.
SUPPLIES NEEDED INTRODUCTION
Red and white grape juice (or wine for adults)
Enough for each person to have two full glasses throughout the meal, one red and one white.
Fruits from trees for each level
The First Fruit: inedible outer shell and an edible inner core, such as almonds, bananas, coconuts, durians, citrus fruits, papayas, passion fruit, pecans, pineapples, pistachios, pomegranates, pomelos, sabras, and many more
The Second Fruit: edible outer flesh and pithy, inedible cores such as, apricots, avocados, cherries, dates, mangos, olives, peaches, and plums
The Third Fruit: may be eaten entirely and include, blackberries, blueberries, figs, grapes, raspberries, star fruit, and strawberries
The Fourth Fruit: fragrant spices
JYCM & why we have created this Haggadah:
The Jewish Youth Climate Movement is dedicated to combating climate change and environmental injustice through a Jewish lens. Celebrating and restoring the earth is something our movement holds very dearly. Trees play an essential part in both Judaism and our fight for a healthy planet. Etz Chayim, the “Tree of Life” often refers to the Torah, which, just like trees are for the planet and its inhabitants, is a life-giving source for the Jewish people. We celebrate Tu B’shvat by honoring trees and committing to fighting climate injustice everywhere.
The origins of the Tu B’Shvat Seder date back to 16th-century Kabbalists. The Kabbalists based their seder on the four worlds of creation: Asiyah, Yetzirah, B’riyah, and Atzilut. Each world correlates with themes, symbolic fruits, and seasons. Tu B’Shvat has come to be a time to focus our attention on the environment and honor everything that comes from the earth. The Jewish Youth Climate Movement has created this Haggadah for you to not only use as an enjoyable guide during your Tu B’Shvat Seder, but also to encourage you to take climate action by joining our movement.
HOW TO USE THIS HAGGADAH
When developing the first Tu B’Shvat seder, the kabbalists of Tzfat correlated each of the four sections with one of the four mystical worlds. To you, these concepts might be spiritually meaningful or completely unintelligible.
We have chosen to include the kabbalistic four worlds in relation to the four sections of our Haggadah both to link this Haggadah to that of our ancestors and to provide an opportunity to delve into four specific themes we hope to explore with you: roots from which your climate activism experiences grow, the importance of understanding and mending barriers within our communities, honoring our hearts, and hopes to influence the world.
The chart on the next page sets forth these four worlds, along with corresponding foods, themes, and other materials. But this Haggadah is meant for everyone! We invite you to shape this Haggadah, and the festival of Tu B’Shvat as a whole, in a manner that you find meaningful and compelling.
THE FIRST CUP
We begin the Tu B’Shvat Seder by grounding our relationship with ourselves in relation to the world around us. As we raise the first cup, we embark on a journey into the foundational aspects of our lives the roots that anchor our identity and values.
This cup, often associated with the mystical concept of the "root" in Kabbalistic thought, prompts reflection on personal spiritual journeys. Whether recalling transformative moments or contemplating the significance of daily routines, the first cup becomes a vessel for introspection, inviting us to connect with the core of our being and the essence of our beliefs.
It represents the starting point of a cyclical spiritual growth, echoing the cyclical nature of seasons and the Four Worlds in Kabbalah. In a year that has brought a new and possibly isolating understanding of place, the pure white of the initial cup, akin to winter, becomes a canvas for spiritual exploration.
According to kabbalistic teachings, this cup represents the initial spark of divine creation, harkening back to the time when light first separated from darkness. Like a seed beneath winter snow, the white cup symbolizes the stillness and dormancy of this season, inviting us to reflect on the quietude and potential for growth within the winter of our own lives.
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p'ri ha-gafen.
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, creator of fruit of the vine.
Shehechiyanu:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, shehechiyanu v'kiy'manu v'higi'anu la-z'man ha-zeh.
Blessed be You, the One who has kept us alive and sustained us so that we could reach this moment.
The First Cup Blessing:
THE FIRST FRUIT
In our Tu B'Shvat celebration, the symbolic journey represented by the first fruit extends beyond personal growth to encompass a profound exploration of the world of Assiyah—the realm of the concrete and the physical, as perceived by the Kabbalists.
Like the first cup, this fruit encapsulates the concept of protection, shields, and defenses, drawing a parallel to the outer shell that surrounds certain fruits, such as almonds or walnuts. The act of consuming the fruit becomes a metaphorical shedding of these protective layers, allowing us to open ourselves to those around us. By removing the outer shell, we expose our sweetness within, fostering a connection ourselves and our community. This symbolic gesture aligns with one aspect of our seder’s theme: the intricate relationship between individuals and their communities.
The first fruit guides us in navigating the interplay between individuality and communal ties—a pivotal aspect of Jewish identity This past year has brought unprecedented challenges to our understanding of community, prompting reflections on inclusion and exclusion. As we consider the symbolic act of revealing the inner sweetness of the fruit by shedding its protective outer layer, we are reminded of the importance in understanding and mending barriers within our communities.
This aspect of community mirrors the collective strength found within JYCM, emphasizing our movement’s interconnected commitment to environmental stewardship Both contexts highlight the importance of breaking down barriers to foster collaboration and support throughout our collective fight for climate justice. The exploration of these concepts resonates deeply with the challenges and transformations our community has undergone in recent times.
Examples of fruit: almonds, bananas, coconuts, durians, papayas, passion fruit, pecans, pineapples, pistachios, pomegranates, pomelos, sabras, and many more. We each find fruit from the first category, remove the skin or shell, say the blessing together, and then eat.
As we say the blessings over the first cup and first fruit, we are guided by this question: What aspects of your life serve as the foundation or roots from which your climate activism experiences grow?
Fruit Blessing:
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Source of all being, creator of the fruit of the tree
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei pri ha’etz
THE SECOND CUP
Yetzirah, the world of formation is connected to spring, emotion, and water. We eat fruits with soft outsides that are exposed to the sun This is the world of growth We build strong foundations, create meaningful connections, and start to build up ourselves and our movements.
At JYCM we often say, ” We move at the speed of relationships.” This reminds us that our connections to people are building blocks of climate work and that small seeds of trust create resiliency within our communities.
Yetzirah is a world of emotion and of the heart. As we do the challenging work of climate activism, we remember to honor our hearts. We share climate stories and hold space for climate grief, and also for joy.
The season of spring reminds us that we can come back alive, water encourages fluidity and being open-minded We remember that we are driven by our hearts
We add a couple drops of red juice into our full glass of white. This symobolizes adding heat to the winter and starting the process of formation:
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, creator of fruit of the vine.
Grape Juice / Wine Blessing:
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p'ri ha-gafen.
THE SECOND FRUIT
The Kabbalists defined the world of Yetzirah as a world of inwardness, emotion, and a sense of feeling. The need for protection and reinforcement is an inner matter of the core, of the heart. It is represented by fruits with edible outer flesh and pithy, inedible cores: olives, apricots, cherries, dates, plums.
We eat fruits with a hard, inedible pit and soft outer flesh. The soft flesh exposed to the sun symbolizes emotion, while the hard pit inside reminds us that sometimes, our heart hardens. Both olives and dates, two fruits we eat with the second cup, are part of the seven species of Israel. These are fruits which have a special significance in Judaism. Olives specifically represent hope and peace. Just as the olive branch symbolizes peace and hope in the story of Noach, let us remember our hope for a more peaceful world.
Fruit Blessing:
May we be blessed this Tu B’Shvat, and throughout the coming year, with the opportunity and the courage to expand our capacity for openness and empathy and thereby rebuild the communities we need. We each find a fruit from the second category, remove the pit or core, say the blessing together, and then eat.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei pri ha’etz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Source of all being, creator of the fruit of the tree.
THE THIRD CUP THE THIRD FRUIT
The third cup and fruit of the Tu B’Shvat seder represent Briyah, the Kabbalistic world of creation. The third cup in the seder is associated with summer, and its dark pink color only amplifies that feeling. As the cup is made up of two-thirds red and one-third white, it represents the warm weather months overtaking the winter and its dormancy.
Briyah is the world of creation and is often associated with air and imagination.
Briyah symbolizes the theme of something arising out of nothingness.
The connection between humans and trees/nature is emphasized: we breathe air the trees need; the trees breathe air we need. Trees give us breath and life. Grape Juice / Wine Blessing:
For the third fruit of the Tu B’Shvat seder, we eat fruits that are completely edible (i e with no inedible skin or pit), such as berries, grapes, and figs.
This edibility symbolizes that we are open and vulnerable to new dreams, and it reminds us of God’s omnipresence and our inextricable ties with the earth. The realm of Briyah is not only associated with summer: it’s also often associated with air and imagination. This Kabbalistic world tells us to dream big and hone our creativity.
As it is the world of creation, the world of Briyah intensifies the theme of something arising, or being created, out of complete nothingness. This, of course, lends to the biblical theme of Bereishit, and the creation of the world.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p'ri ha’gafen.
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei pri ha’etz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Source of all being, creator of the fruit of the tree.
Fruit Blessing:
THE FOURTH CUP
The fourth cup is a fully red glass of juice to symbolize the world of essence and spirit and is not represented by fruits because it is pure spirit and cannot be represented physically.
Our spirit is deeply tied to nature and our Jewish as identity reaffirms our commitment to the earth. In addition, the world of atzilut, is seen as the dream world. In JYCM, we are constantly making efforts to achieve a dream world of climate justice. To achieve this dream world, we act but we also sing in community and connect with the spirit of God in many ways.
Our climate fight has two components: a spiritual level and a ground level. Atilut is the spiritual level, this spirit offers us community and unity as we plan to take action to address the climate crisis.
We drink all red grape juice/wine because the fourth world of creation was the most powerful, and just as the red overpowers the white, the last world overpowers the others. We hope to influence the world to combat climate change just like the red grape juice/wine and overpower the corporate institutions that are killing our planet
In addition, we are reminded of the importance of preservation of the planet, for it is often in the pureness of God's creation that it is most possible to experience the Divine.
We fill our cups once again with red grape juice/wine, adding to the small drop at the bottom that still contains some white, say the blessing together, and then drink the entirety of our cups.
You may want to bless and drink this cup as the closing blessing to Birkat HaMazon, Grace after Meals.
BIRKAT HAMAZON
Birkat HaMazon: Grace After Meals
We are commanded to bless God after we eat Rabbinic tradition proscribes various versions of a Grace After Meals dependant on what one ate There are three traditional text for Grace After meals the full Birkat HaMazon is recited after a meal with bread (not incIded below) Al HaMichya is recited after eating a meal with grain products wine or fruit of the sn en spens, and would apply to a seder where no bread was eaten The shortest is Borei Nefashot recited after simpler meals
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, for
After Fruit:
for the tree and the
After Grape Juice and Wine:
the
of the tree
and for the fruit of the
After grains:
for the produce of the field, and for the precious, good, and spacious ,land which You have graciously given as a heritage to our ancestors ,to eat of its fruit and to be satiated with its goodness Have mercy Lord our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on .Zion the abode of Your glory, on Your altar, and on Your Temple Rebuild Jerusalem, the holy city, speedily in our days, and bring us up to it and make us rejoice in it, and we will bless You in holiness .and purity
For You, Lord, are good and do good to all, and we offer thanks to You for the land and for After food prepared from the five grain: the sustenance
After Fruit
After Grape Juice and Wine
After grains
Blessed are You, Lord, for the land and for after food prepared from the five grains the sustenance.
After Fruit
After Grape Juice and Wine
After grains
THE FOURTH FRUIT
The Kabbalists defined the world of Atzilut as the world of pure spirit, so its symbolic food is no food at all, only what sustains us spiritually.
We all have relationships with both the physical and the intangible. The fourth world is about our highest selves, when we are not eating, when we are not thinking of our bodies, when we have all the tools to bring in pure holiness in each moment. To be sure, we can be holy while eating and while grounded in our bodies.
However, the fourth world, according to the Kabbalists, is the world that is floating above our earthly desires; a world in which we nourish our hearts and our souls. In an attempt to gain an understanding of the divine implications of this realm, we do as our ancestors did and look to the tree as a symbol of life – a life of ecological symbiosis, a life of replenishment, and a life of balance and equilibrium.
This world, while it does not have a fruit, is often commemorated with spices to symbolize the spirit of the Divine.
May we be blessed this Tu B’Shvat, and throughout the coming year, to cultivate a sense of balance and calm, a sense of resilience, and a sense of higher purpose.
Blessing Over Spices
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei minei v'samim.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, Creator of varied spices.
Brich Rachamana
Aramaic: Babylonian Talmud: Arrangement by Shefa Gold
Brich rachamana malka d'alma maray d'hai pita (2x)
You are the Source of Life for all that is and your blessing flows through me (2x)
Blessed is the Compassionate One Ruler of the Universe Source of this Food
V'achalta V'savata
Hebrew: Deuteronomy 8: 10; English: Hanna Tiferet Siegel
Vachalta, V'savata, uveyrachta
We ate when we were hungry And now we're satisfied We thank the Source of Blessing For all that S/he provides
CALL TO ACTION: CAP Campaign
As Jewish teens, we are afforded a unique and timebound power in our communities. Older people, whether they be family members, neighbors, synagogue goers, from our rabbis to the leaders at federations, recognize us as the inheritors of the future. Jewish culture focuses on the inheritance of the next generation in a very unique way: Just as we have a responsibility to our traditions and communities, our communities, and indeed our traditions, are encouraged to serve us in our capacity to continue the legacy of the Jewish people, and as the future stewards of the world. Our tradition provides us the opportunity to ask of our elders what must be done to secure our social, political, material, and spiritual welfare: It commands us to make that request.
We’re all here today because we believe in our power to affect change on the environmental crisis that is threatening our world. At JYCM, we are working to manifest the power we are afforded by the Jewish community and our traditions to affect that change. And while there is much work to be done, and many requests that must be accounted for, we want to start with just one today
JYCM’s parent organization, Adamah, organizes a group called the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition. The Coalition’s main goal is to get Jewish institutions like synagogues, federations, JCCs, Jewish businesses, and Jewish lobbying groups to commit to climate action plans. A climate action plan (or CAP) is an outline of the material and institutional changes that these groups will adhere to in order to transform their current practices from ones which do not honor the environment and the crisis which we are faced with to ones that are more ecologically minded. This can range from very physical things like installing solar panels, to internal programs like composting, to committing to environmental education and political advocacy.
We at JYCM hold a unique position among Jewish teens. We are uniquely aware of the stakes of failing to protect the climate and transform our actions to be more ecological. We are also able to hold our elders and their institutions responsible for their past failings, and to their future commitments, as we often live our lives through the institutions that would change under a commitment to the Coalition: We attend these synagogues, JCCs, Jewish protests, fund Jewish businesses, and we will inherit all these things.
Today, Tu B’shvat 5785, marks the one-year point in our ongoing Climate Action Plan Campaign, which seeks to grow this coalition in order to protect our environment, transform our institutions, and secure our future. We hope that all of you joining us at this seder today will continue to join us in our actions this year, and in the years to come, which call the institutions in our community to lead by example. We are urging our institutions to join the Coalition and commit to a radical climate action plan that focuses heavily on political outreach, education, and justice work, and we will continue to serve as the witnesses of their responsibility to fulfill these goals afterwards. Read more about our Climate Action Plan here. Please, join us, and help us build this world with love.
To join our campaign, and/or to get involved with JYCM, reach out to our team at: jycm@adamah.org.
CALL TO ACTION: Underwrite Earth Campaign
Despite broad pledges to achieve net-zero emissions, insurance companies perpetuate our society’s dependence on fossil fuels by underwriting new and existing oil, gas, and coal extraction projects. Even though these insurers are supposed to safeguard us against the risks of natural disasters and environmental-related loss and damages, their practice of insuring fossil fuels is enabling climate change, making our lives more susceptible to upheaval. What’s more, insurers are starting to bear the financial brunt of their actions, all while dropping people on the frontlines of the climate crisis from coverage. They’re hurting people and losing money while doing it.
As young Jews, we know we deserve better than an era of climate hypocrisy, in which those who need to protect our future from damage continue to insure its destruction. Midrash Kohelet Rabbah instructs us: “For if you corrupt it, there is no one to repair it for you ” (7:13:1). The climate crisis is endangering Jewish practice and community as we know it. We have already seen painful examples. Jewish schools and summer camps aflame during uncontrollable wildfires. Jewish neighborhoods uprooted and scattered in the wake of hurricanes. Wet ink smearing the parchment of waterlogged Torah scrolls in flooded synagogues. When our communities seek climate resiliency by getting insurance for our homes, schools, synagogues, neighborhoods, vehicles, and lives, we know that we will not be able to repair all that has been corrupted.
It’s time for insurance companies to step up to the moment and step back from fossil fuels. Alongside the tireless, yearslong work of many in the climate movement, Jewish youth and public figures are raising our voices publicly in the coming weeks, from Tu B’shvat through Passover in 2025 / 5785. It's time to build momentum toward moving away from underwriting destruction and toward underwriting a safer future for our earth. For without us, without this moment, there will be no one to repair it for you.
Join us on February 13th at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for the Virtual Launch Rally of JYCM's Underwrite Earth Campaign, where we will hear from key youth activists, artists, rabbis, and more as we detail ways to get involved in our campaign this spring. All are welcome. Register below!
Additionally, we are looking for Jewish public figures, as well as youth activists, to stand with us! If you are interested in joining our campaign by speaking out publicly, creating and sharing writing or art, or organizing a direct action, please reach out to our team at: jycm@adamah.org.
CREDITS FINAL THOUGHTS
Thank you for hosting a Jewish Youth Climate Movement Tu B’Shvat Seder We hope this ritual has deepened your connection with Jewish climate action and nourished your spirits. We know that our learning and action cannot end at the conclusion of this seder; please join our movement and plug in to our campaign.
Be sure to stay connected and check out at our website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and subscribe to our JYCM newsletter written by teens on the National JYCM Leadership board every month!
Scan the QR code above for our Kvutzah (chapter) interest form!
Please consider supporting our work by becoming a monthly sustaining donor, helping us to reach and support more Jewish teens in the work of climate activism, Jewish learning and leadership, and building a healthier and more sustainable world together: bit.ly/JYCM-Donate.
Edited in 2023 by Adamah Jewish Youth Climate Movement Jewish Ritual and Culture team - Yoni Andorsky, Avi Frank, Julia Levin, Noa Shimshi, Leila Stillman Utterback, and Communications team Jacob Reicher, Lio Pelavin, Marlowe Levine, Ilana Zahavy, Shifra Kabakov, Ami Gelman, Maya Henschel for JYCM teens, community, and Adamah on Campus university students and teen-led Seders
Cover design Jacob Reicher
Adamah gratefully acknowledges the support of our funders, without whom none of our work would be possible.
Credits to Editors and Designers For 2021 Edition: Rabbi Josh Ratner, Rachel Miller, Hannah Henza, Rabbi Nate DeGroot , David Rendsburg, and Hannah Elovitz
Special thanks to Adamah staff, and volunteers, who have guided the creation of the Haggadah over the years: Judith Belasco, Arielle Cohen, Anna Hanau, Daniel
Infeld, Leah Koenig, Rachel Loebl, Sabrina Malach, Elan Margulies, Ben Murane, Deborah Newbrun, Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, Elisheva Urbas, and Jake Wilkenfeld Mongillo.
Copyright © 2023 Adamah
This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial License You may use the content of this haggadah in your own work, as long as you provide attribution to Adamah and (if necessary) the original author. http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc/3 0/