SPRINGFIELD, NJ — Temple Sha’arey Shalom, a small reform community in Springfield, hosted its annual Tu B’Shvat Seder to celebrate the new year of the trees. During the engaging and informative short service, Rav Uri Allen led the congregation in lessons about how humans connect with trees. In particular, Tu B’shvat focuses on eating produce of the land Israel including barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, wheat, almonds, bananas, hummus and beer. As part of the seder, red and white wine is mixed to create different shades symbolizing the passage from winter to spring. The seder also illustrated how different fruits represent the different aspects of how we interact with the world.
Temple Sha’arey Shalom is a warm, inclusive Reform synagogue in Union County. Its worship is dynamic and engaging, with a focus on social justice and community building. Check out the website at https://shaarey.org and find it on Facebook at Temple Sha’arey Shalom. For more information about engaging with the Temple community, call the office at 973-379-5387.
Photos Courtesy of Jeanne Graulich