Tu B'shvat for Gilad: Because Man is a Tree of the Field

On the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, we celebrate the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shvat, the New Year of the Trees. This holiday reminds us of our connection to and relationship with nature and the environment, as well as our responsibility to save and preserve them.

Throughout the Torah, man is compared to nature. It says כי האדם עץ השדה - " Because man is a tree of the field”. Also, there is a value central to Jewish peoplehood, כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה - "All Jews are responsible for one another”. Today, as we pledge our commitment to ensure the future of the environment, we must not forget Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier that has been in captivity for more than four and a half years.

Express your support for Gilad by sending in your personal message on a virtual leaf, and posting it on Gilad’s tree. Encourage your friends/family/colleagues to do the same and watch the tree grow! Just as it is our obligation to protect nature and the environment, we must do the same for those people who are unable to protect themselves.

Click on the tree to send a message to Gilad