Tu B'Shevat 2025: The New Year of Trees
Festival guide · 2025
Tu B'Shevat (ט"ו בִּשְׁבָט — the 15th of Shevat) is the Jewish New Year of Trees. It falls in late January or early February and marks the point in the agricultural calendar of ancient Israel when trees begin their annual growth cycle.
Originally a halachic date for calculating the age of fruit trees (relevant to tithes in biblical law), Tu B'Shevat became a full celebration when Kabbalists in 16th-century Safed developed an elaborate seder for the day. In modern times it has also become a Jewish environmental holiday.
2025 Dates
| Date | Wednesday, February 12, 2025 |
Dates are calculated automatically and may vary by ±1 day. Always confirm with your local religious authority.
Traditions & Observance
Eating the Seven Species
It is traditional to eat fruits and grains associated with the Land of Israel — the Shivat HaMinim (Seven Species) of Deuteronomy: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. Many families set out a table of these foods, celebrating the abundance of the land.
The Tu B'Shevat Seder
The Kabbalists of Safed composed a seder involving four cups of wine progressively mixed from white to red, and fruits eaten in three categories: shells outside (e.g. pomegranate), shells inside (e.g. dates), and fully edible (e.g. figs). Each category corresponds to a Kabbalistic world.
Tree Planting
The Zionist movement transformed Tu B'Shevat into a tree-planting holiday. Schoolchildren plant trees across Israel and many diaspora communities hold symbolic plantings. The Jewish National Fund has planted hundreds of millions of trees in Israel over the past century.
Environmental Awareness
Tu B'Shevat has become a focal point for Jewish environmental education and activism. Jewish organisations use the day to discuss sustainable living, climate change, and the Jewish obligation of tikkun olam — repairing the world.
Other Years
Tu B'Shevat is a minor festival with no work restrictions. It falls on 15 Shevat, typically in late January or early February.