 JANUARY 23 • 2020 | 11

The 

Hazon Detroit invites 
the community to a 
Tu B’
Shvat seder.

H

azon Detroit will convene more 
than 17 organizations for a 
celebration of Tu B’
Shvat from 
6-8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, in the JCC’
s 
Handelman Hall.
Using the mystical Tu 
B’
Shvat seder structure as 
a guide, the theme of the 
evening will focus on trees, 
climate and the role we play 
in healing our planet and will 
feature speakers and experts 
on these topics. 
“It’
s a rare and beautiful 
thing that we will have syn-
agogues represented from 
across the denominational spectrum 
— Renewal, Reform, Reconstructionist, 
Independent, Conservative, Orthodox, 
Chabad and Sephardic — bringing us 
together for an issue that impacts us 
all,” says Hazon Detroit’
s Associate 
Director, Spiritual & Program Director 
Rabbi Nate DeGroot. “We all live on this 
planet together. We all share the same 
Earth, the same atmosphere, the same 
climate. This issue brings us together 
across all sorts of potential lines of divi-
sion.”
The evening will feature a light, holi-
day-themed kosher dinner, in addition 
to the ritual foods and wine tradition-
ally enjoyed at the seder. Clergy from 
various community partners will offer 
Jewish wisdom, perspectives and bless-
ings throughout the evening.
Hazon, DeGroot says, sees Tu B’
Shvat 
as a critical, beautiful and meaningful 
holiday. “The ‘
new year of the trees’
 
provides us an opportunity to consider 
the role trees play in helping to heal the 
environment and provide us clean air,” 
he says. “It also gives us the chance to 
explore some of the challenges we’
re 

facing in the world today.” 
As part of a larger tree-planting ini-
tiative called JTree that the national 
headquarters of Hazon is helping to 
launch internationally at Tu 
B’
Shvat, during the local seder 
here in Metro Detroit, Hazon 
will raise funds to plant trees 
with the Social Forestry Project, 
a nonprofit dedicated to foster-
ing a greener, more sustainable 
future for Detroit and Southeast 
Michigan. Members of the 
nonprofit and featured guest 
speakers will be sharing timely, 
scientific and Jewish learning 
about trees and climate.
“We’
ll learn about the impacts of 
natural and human-made disasters, 
such as deforestation and wildfires, and 
consider what the Metro Detroit Jewish 
community, as part of a larger North 
American and global community, can 
do to help ensure a healthier planet that 
we can leave for our children and grand-
children,” DeGroot says. 
Adults and teens (with adult super-
vision) from across the community are 
encouraged to attend. Tickets are $15. 
All food and wine will be vegetarian 
and kosher. Dairy-free and gluten-free 
options are available. Register at 
https://tinyurl.com/td8dxa5.

Rabbi Nate DeGroot

SPONSORED BY HAZON DETROIT

detroit@hazon.org | hazon.org/detroit | (248) 792-5397

New 
Year
of Trees

Attendees will receive Hazon’
s Tu 
B’
Shvat Haggadah for 2020, which combines 
science and current events with the wisdom 
of the Jewish tradition and encourages 
readers to take the opportunity to think 
about trees and the fruit they bear. It is 
available in print or as a free download at 
hazon.org/tubshvat. 

