This year, Tu Bishvat fell during the week of the Interfaith Power and Light’s National Preach-In on Global Warming. The preach-in is an effort to encourage religious leaders throughout our nation to speak to their communities about the devastating impact we continue to have on our planet. “This is the essential message of Tu Bishvat,” says Rabbi Korbin. “On Tu Bishvat, we should certainly take time to appreciate the trees and eat their marvelous fruit, saying blessings and engaging in rich discussion about symbolism and meaning. But if our celebration ends there, we have missed an important call. The festivities of Tu Bishvat must also propel us to take an account of our carbon footprint and recommit ourselves to environmental action — both through personal reform and national advocacy — before it is too late.”
Rabbi Rachel Korbin, 7 February 2012
