“Jewish Arbor Day” event organized by JCCSF and Friends of the Urban Forest
January 28, 2010 — Tu B’Shvat, the “Jewish Arbor Day,” will be marked this year in San Francisco by the planting of 30 trees in northern Bernal Heights and the southern Mission on Sunday, January 31. The event, “Plant the Dream 2010: A Tu B’Shvat Outdoor Celebration,” is being coordinated by the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco in partnership with Friends of the Urban Forest.
“By planting trees for Tu B’Shvat, JCCSF is making a wonderful contribution to the health of San Franciscans and their natural environment,” said Dan Flanagan, executive director of FUF. “We look forward to a long partnership with the JCCSF community.”
Tu B’Shvat, which in Hebrew means the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shvat, is one of four Jewish “new years,” and is traditionally used to calculate the age of trees for tithing. Since the 16th century, it has also been the occasion of a special seder (ceremonial dinner).
Plant the Dream 2010: A Tu B’Shvat Outdoor Celebration will include a brief ceremony honoring people who have made a “green” difference in the Jewish community and the world. Honorees will include Jennifer S. Gorovitz, CEO, SF Jewish Federation; Jonathan Axelrad, Founder, Jewish Energy Challenge (formerly J-Rec); Anne Schukat, Green Energy Correspondent for the Economist; and Josh Becker, Founder, New Cycle Capital, Full Circle Fund.
Participants will enjoy customary Tu B’Shvat snacks, including dried figs, dates, raisins, almonds, and carob chips.
The event is sponsored by GET FED of The Jewish Community Federation, JSN, Hazon, Jewish Environmental Challenge (formerly J-Rec), and The Hub of the JCCSF.
More information about Plant the Dream 2010: A Tu B’Shvat Outdoor Celebration is available at:
jccsf.org/arts-ideas/the-hub/plant-the-dream-2010-a-tu-bshvat-outdoor-celebration/
About the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco
The JCCSF located at 3200 California Street (at Presidio), has been serving the Bay Area since 1877 with programs that transform people’s lives -– mind, body and spirit. A home away from home for San Franciscans of all faiths and backgrounds, the JCCSF welcomes more than 5,000 guests each day, presenting them with world-class cultural events, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and hundreds of inspiring educational, recreational and social programs. Programs are made possible through generous community support, enabling the JCCSF to provide free and low-cost programs as well as generous financial assistance -– ensuring that the Center is accessible, welcoming and nurturing to all.
About Friends of the Urban Forest
Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) is a non-profit organization committed to the belief that trees are a critical element of a livable urban environment. FUF works to promote a larger, healthier urban forest as part of the urban ecosystem, through community planting, maintenance, education and advocacy in San Francisco. Since 1981, FUF has offered financial, technical, and practical assistance to individuals and neighborhood groups who want to plant and care for trees. Each year, FUF helps San Francisco communities plant nearly 1,000 trees.