al Low Prices To Lots Of Places Every Day. It's A Fruity World The Tu B'Shevat seder isn't just for mystics anymore. Here's how to put one on in your own home. SUSAN BERNSTEIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS D ue to today's rage for eco- logical awareness, Tu B'She- vat has entered the realm of hipness. Many Jews now participate in a special seder for the holiday, which incorporates eating symbolic fruits and nuts, drinking wine of various colors, and inspirational readings and prayers. There is no set tradition, so there is plenty of room for in- novation and personal touches. "The Tu B'Shevat seder is a cus- tom that arose with medieval kab- balists," explains Rabbi Mark Kunis of Congregation Shearith Israel. "In the current atmosphere of environmentalism, people are looking to Jewish tradition for ways to celebrate their love of na- ture." Greyhound makes it so easy to get there with low fares everyday on every bus. Just walk up and buy your ticket. 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Some restrictions and limitations may apply. @iscover tare Beauty at LEVIN'S BEAUTY SUPPLY Specializing in Hard to find fragrances Professional Nail Supplies Top-of-the-line Hair Products 58 West Bloomfield Oak Park • 851-7323 • 547-9669 Orchard Lake Road In The West Bloomfield Plaza OPEN 7 DAYS Because Of Your United Way Contribution, Home Is Sill Sweet Home For More Elderly. 24695 Coolidge At 10 Mile Road United Way While the kabbalistic elements incorporated into most Tu B'She- vat seder guidebooks might seem like heavy stuff, anyone can enjoy eating fruits in a casual setting, says Andi Arnovitz, a Judaic art dealer in Sandy Springs who has attended a Tu B'Shevat seder for the past five years. "It's a very sensual experience. You're eating fruits, some that are hard on the outside, but soft on the inside, or totally soft." Try find- ing unusual fruits and nuts, such as starfruit, carob or pomegran- ates (available at supermarkets, specialty stores or the farmer's market) to make it more exotic, she suggests. Children will enjoy a Tu B'She- vat seder as well as adults, Mrs. Arnovitz says. They like eating dif- ferent types of fruits and nuts, and mixing white and red grape juice. Many haggadot include games or activities for children to accom- pany the basic structure of the seder. The mystics of Safed began the practice of a seder meal for Tu B'Shevat in the 16th century. Modern Jewish families can recre- ate this ceremony in their homes, either for adults only or with chil- dren. Susan Bernstein is a staff writer on our sister paper, the Atlanta Jewish Times. Mystical Ingredients To put on a Tu B'Shevat seder, one needs to obtain a variety of special foods, white and red kosher wine, and, preferably, a haggadah shel Tu B'Shevat, a guide for performing the cere- mony. Biblical verses that refer to vegetation and agriculture in Israel are read, as well as pas- sages from rabbinic literature. Three food groups There are three main cate- gories of fruits and nuts eaten at the seder, usually items associ- ated with the land of Israel. Each haggadah arranges the foods and the order in which they are eat- en in different ways. Follow your haggadah's sequence for serving the fruits. The foods represent the four levels of creation according to the kabbalistic tradition: assiyah, yet- zirah, beriah and atzilut. * Assiyah, translated as action or the physical world, is symbol- ized by fruits with an outer, ined- ible shell or husk: almonds, pecans, walnuts, pomegranates and coconuts. * Yetzirah, or formation, is rep- resented by fruits with an inner, inedible pit that is discarded: olives, dates, cherries, persim- mons, apricots, peaches and plums. * Beriah, or creation, is sym- bolized by soft, palpable fruits which can be eaten whole, such as raisins, grapes, pears, apples and berries. * Atzilut is purely spiritual and < cannot be symbolized in the con- crete world. The symbolism can be summed up this way: the edible parts of the fruit represent holi- ness, the discarded pits stand for impurities, and the shell signifies protection from the unholy as- pects of the world. Before eating, recite the bless- ing over the fruits of trees: "Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech haolam, borei p'ri ha'etz — Blessed are you, Adonai, our God, ruler of eternity, who cre- ates the fruit of the tree." Some haggadot include the eating of wheat, in the form of cookies or cakes, along with the various fruits. Rainbow Of Wine The second major element of the seder is the four cups of wine, just like a Pesach seder. One blends the wine in different pro- portions of red and white, sym- bolizing the natural cycle of the seasons.