Fruit at a market in Columbia (South America)

Many who know me would say that Tu B’shevat is my favorite holiday. Why? Because I like fruit, and Tu B’shevat celebrates the new year for the trees.

The main custom and way to observe Tu B’shevat is to eat lots of fruit. Many have different customs as to how much variety. It is good to have at least one new fruit that you’ve not had yet in the past year. This will enable you to make the ‘Shehechianu’ blessing. The next step is to have the five fruit from the seven species that the land of Israel is blessed with: grapes, pomegranate, olives, figs, and dates.

After this the sky is the limit. Some people try to have ten types of fruit; others try to have eighteen, twenty six…and so on.

A good thing to do is to sit down with the family and friends for a Tu B’shevat feast where everyone makes a blessing over the fruit and gives thanks to G-d for bringing forth from the ground the fruit of the trees.

As I travel fruit makes up almost 80% of my diet. Fruit is available everywhere and it’s kosher. I especially like to discover new fruits around the world.

Happy Tu B’shevat and enjoy your fruit!