David Klein Gallery

Tu WShevat
At A Glance

Celebrating the birthday of the trees.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

AppleTree Editor

hat the name means:
Shevat is the name of a
month on the Jewish
calendar. Because in the
Hebrew alphabet each letter also rep-
resents a numerical value, the number
15 is written as tet vav, which forms
the acronym Tu. The second part,
b'Shevat, means "in Shevat." Thus, Tu
b'Shevat means "15th of Shevat."

• When it occurs this year:

the authors of the Kabbalah.
They later developed many customs
for the day, including liturgical read-
ings and a festive meal based on the
Passover seder, complete with four
cups of wine.
For most Sephardic Jews today, Tu
b'Shevat is a festive day. Among all
Jews, however, it is customary to eat
fruit from trees, especially fruit
imported from Israel, or that by tradi-
tion are native to Israel.
If eating a fruit for the first time this
(Jewish) year, the She-hecheyanu prayer
is recited. In Israel, some plant trees
on Tu b'Shevat.

welcomes

Stacey Cohen
Associate Director

David Klein
Director

Jan Andrews
Associate Director,
Reg istrar

163 TOWNSEND BIRMINGHAM MI 48009
TELEPHONE 248.433.3700 FAX 248.433.3702
HOURS: MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 11 - 5:30

www.dkgallery.com

Saturday, Feb. 7

• What it is:

In Halachah (Jewish law), the 15th
day of the month of Shevat is desig-
nated as the cutoff date for tithing
fruits from trees. In ancient Israel,
every Jewish farmer gave a percentage
of his produce to the priests and
Levites to maintain the Temple in
Jerusalem.
In Hebrew, this is known as teruma,
a tithe. Tree-borne fruit that came
from blossoms formed before the 15th
of Shevat belonged to the current
tithing year, and fruit from blossoms
that formed after the 15th were desig-
nated for the next year.

806480

• Rules and regulations:

Tachnun, the penitential daily

prayer, is not recited. Some recite
Psalm 104 (Borchi Nafshi), and also
the 15 psalms that begin Shir Ha-
Maalot ("Song of Ascent," Psalms
120-134). ❑

1 -

Nights fell peacefully but ended prematurely at
the Kaplan family home in West Bloomfield,
when Steve and Lisa Kaplan's teenage daughter's
late-night returns would consistently wake them
in the neighboring bedroom. This coupled with a
dining room table that would no longer support both
dinners for four and Lisa's home office equipment
led the Kaplans to Gittleman, with a cry for more
space and privacy.

After customizing four distinct plans for the Kaplan's
selection, Gittleman allowed the couple to modify
the winning plan to their liking. "They were really
flexible," praised Lisa Kaplan, whose 3-bedroom
ranch would soon include an office converted from
hers and Steve's former bedroom—and a new master
suite added to the rear of the house, strategically
buffered by the office to prevent sound from leaking.

• How it is observed:

Today, whether in or outside of
Israel, there is no tithing because
there is no Temple (the Muslim
Dome of the Rock and the Al-
Aksa Mosque stand on the
Temple site in Jerusalem).
For most Jews in ancient
times, Tu b'Shevat was nothing
more than a bookkeeping day.
Through the generations,
however, the 15th took on
spiritual characteristics. It
was especially embraced by
Sephardic Jews, and in the
16th century, by Jewish
mystics of Tzefat (a town
in northern Israel, often
transliterated as Safed), and

eman

The Kaplans commend both Gittleman's
administrative staff and the crew for an unwavering
show of respect and courtesy while rearranging the walls of their bedroom come office. Even their
family of gerbils went undisturbed.

Today, the Kaplans are thrilled with what is, essentially, a new home for them. Everyone sleeps
soundly, and the neighbors marvel at Gittleman's flawless matching of 30-year old brick. "I don't
know how they did it!" said Lisa.

They may not share their secrets...but they'll shape your dreams.

Just ask the Kaplans.

GGC GITTLEMAN

Nia•

CONSTRUCTION inc

ORCHARD LAKE RD., SUITE 102
FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334

28580

248.538.5400

www.gittleman.net

CUSTOM

RENOVATIONS

tIN

2/ 6
2004

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