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Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day) in United States

Quick Facts

Tu B’Shevat is known as the “New Year for Trees”, is a Jewish festival similar to Arbor Day.

Local names

NameLanguage
Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)English
Tu BishvatSpanish

Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day) 2012

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day) 2013

Saturday, January 26, 2013
Note: Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday.
List of dates for other years

Tu B’Shevat (Tu Bishvat) is the 15th day of the Jewish months of Shevat. This festival is also known as the “New Year for Trees” and is observed in Jewish communities in countries such as the United States.

Fig fruit

Tu B'Shevat is a Jewish observance known as the "New Year for Trees". ©iStockphoto.com/Niko Vujevic

What do people do?

Many Jewish communities in the United States observe the festival by eating fruit on this day. The Torah praises seven “fruits”, in particular grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Many Jewish people also try to eat a new fruit, which can be any seasonal fruit. Some Jewish communities plant trees on Tu B’Shevat.

Public life

Tu B’Shevat is not a public holiday in the United States. However, some Jewish organizations may be closed or offer a limited service to allow for festivities to occur on this day.

Background

Tu B’Shevat is first referred to in the late Second Temple period (515 BCE to 20 CE) when it was the cut-off date for levying the tithe on the produce of fruit trees. When Jewish colonists returned to Palestine during the 1930s, they reclaimed the barren land by planting trees where they could. It became customary to plant a tree for every newborn child – a cedar for a boy and a cypress or pine for a girl.

About Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day) in other countries

Read more about Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day).

Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day) Observances

Note: Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday.
WeekdayDateYearNameHoliday typeWhere it is observed
SatFeb 21980Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
TueJan 201981Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonFeb 81982Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 291983Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
ThuJan 191984Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
WedFeb 61985Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 251986Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatFeb 141987Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
WedFeb 31988Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 211989Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatFeb 101990Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
WedJan 301991Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonJan 201992Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatFeb 61993Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
ThuJan 271994Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonJan 161995Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonFeb 51996Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
ThuJan 231997Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
WedFeb 111998Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonFeb 11999Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 222000Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
ThuFeb 82001Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonJan 282002Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 182003Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatFeb 72004Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
TueJan 252005Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonFeb 132006Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatFeb 32007Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
TueJan 222008Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
MonFeb 92009Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 302010Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
ThuJan 202011Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
WedFeb 82012Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
SatJan 262013Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
ThuJan 162014Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
WedFeb 42015Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 

Related holiday

Other holidays in February 2012 in United States

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