The New Year of the Trees · early & middle elementary Judaic Studies
Tu B'Shvat lesson pack חַג ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט
Trees, fruit, and the Shivat HaMinim — the seven species Israel is praised for. 14 slides of pure celebration, no heavy history. Each fruit gets its own slide. The parent guide even walks you through hosting a Tu B'Shvat seder at home.
Page 6 of the parent guide is a complete kid-friendly Tu B'Shvat seder how-to: what fruits to set out, what brachot to say on each, and how to walk a 5-year-old through tasting all seven species in order — plus the Shehecheyanu blessing for a fruit they haven't had this year.
The Shivat HaMinim
Each of the seven species gets its own slide.
Slides 6–12 each focus on one fruit Israel is famous for, with its Hebrew name, a beautiful photo, two or three facts kids can actually remember, and a "did you know?" callout. By the end of the lesson, every child in the room knows what wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates look like — and what each one means in Jewish life.
The grains
Wheat (חִטָּה / Chitah) — for challah, matzah, every-day bread.
Barley (שְׂעוֹרָה / Se'orah) — the Omer offering in the Beit HaMikdash.
The vine fruits
Grapes (גֶּפֶן / Gefen) — Borei pri hagefen every Shabbat.
Figs (תְּאֵנָה / Te'enah) — soft, sweet, the symbol of peace in Tanach.
The tree fruits
Pomegranates (רִמּוֹן / Rimon) — 613 seeds, one for each mitzvah, say the sages.
Olives (זַיִת / Zayit) — trees 2,000 years old. The oil of Chanukah.
Dates (תָּמָר / Tamar) — the "honey" of milk-and-honey is date honey!
Why this pack works
The simplest, most universal lesson in our series.
Pure celebration
No conflict. No hard history. Just trees, fruit, and gratitude to Hashem for a world that grows food. The lesson teaches itself when there's real fruit on the table.
Sensory teaching
Tu B'Shvat is the rare lesson that gets BETTER when your child is chewing while you teach. We tell you exactly what to set out and when.
Cross-pack learning
The olives slide references the oil of Chanukah; the wheat slide references matzah on Pesach. Your child sees how the holidays connect.
FAQ
Questions parents ask about the Tu B'Shvat pack.
What are the Seven Species (Shivat HaMinim)?
The seven foods the Torah praises the Land of Israel for: wheat (chitah), barley (se'orah), grapes (gefen), figs (te'enah), pomegranates (rimon), olives (zayit), and dates (tamar). Each one gets its own slide in this pack.
Does this pack include a Tu B'Shvat seder?
Yes — page 6 of the parent guide is a kid-friendly Tu B'Shvat seder how-to: what to set out, what brachot to say, and how to walk your child through tasting each species in order.
What if it's not actually Tu B'Shvat when we do the lesson?
Use the pack year-round! The fruits are interesting in every month. The pack is also perfect during Pesach (wheat → matzah), Chanukah (olives → oil), or as a stand-alone unit on Israeli agriculture.
Is this for Tu BiShvat or Tu B'Shvat?
Same holiday — ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט in Hebrew, transliterated different ways. Tu BiShvat, Tu B'Shvat, TuBShevat, 15 Shevat all refer to the same day.
My child has fruit allergies. Can we still do this lesson?
Absolutely. The lesson works fully on its own — every species has a beautiful photo. The worksheets don't require any tasting. You can still do the planting activity.
Is the "date honey" fact really in the Torah?
Yes. When Israel is called "a land flowing with milk and honey" (eretz zavat chalav u'dvash), the "honey" is date honey — a thick syrup made by boiling down dates. If you can find date syrup (silan) in a grocery store, let your child taste it during the lesson.
Pairs beautifully with
Other packs in the series.
Chanukah חַג חֲנֻכָּה
The olive oil of the seven species is the same oil from the Chanukah miracle.
Diaspora observance. Every Tu B'Shvat begins at sundown the evening before the first listed date. For halachic questions or Israel-observance dates, see our five-year Jewish calendar or consult your rabbi.
Year
Begins
Halachic time span
2026
Sunday
Begins Sunday evening, Feb 1; ends Monday night, Feb 2.
2027
Friday
Begins Friday evening, Jan 22; ends Saturday night, Jan 23.
2028
Friday
Begins Friday evening, Feb 11; ends Saturday night, Feb 12.
2029
Tuesday
Begins Tuesday evening, Jan 30; ends Wednesday night, Jan 31.
2030
Friday
Begins Friday evening, Jan 18; ends Saturday night, Jan 19.
