Join Wilderness Torah to celebrate Tu B’Shvat – the New Year of the Trees – in the East Bay Redwoods!

February 12, 2012 from 10am to 3pm at Redwood Regional Park in Oakland

Registration is now closed

As the days begin to lengthen, we pause during Tu B’Shvat to celebrate the unseen awakening of spring. Deep within the trees, the sap begins to flow, as the trees start their cycle anew.

In the tradition of the Tsfat mystics, we gather in the forest to create an experiential Tu B’Shvat seder that connects us to the trees and the elements. We delight in the fruit of the trees, p’ri ha-etz, and celebrate the season together through the five senses, song, meditation, and Tu B’Shvat teachings.

There is simultaneous programming for youth aged 4-10.

After the morning seder, we’ll eat lunch together near the grove, and have more Tu B’Shvat activities after lunch!

After Lunch Activity Choices

• A Tu B’Shvat Musical Journey: Enjoy an interactive Jewish, folk, fun music show for the whole family brought to us by our musical friends from the band Octopretzel.  Co-sponsored by the PJ Library and the East Bay Federation!
• Guided Nature Walk in Redwood Park: Connect deeper to the themes of the day and learn about our local wild places through the plants, trees, nuts, fruits, and their uses with local ethnobotanist Jolie Egert.
• “A Person is Like a Tree in the Field.” The Torah teaches that we are like trees and shows us that by connecting to the natural world we can evoke our highest self. Join Zelig Golden for text study that will illuminate the deeper meanings of Tu B’shvat and nature connection activities that will bring these teachings alive within us.
  

Where: Meet at the Skyline Gate of Redwood Regional Park in Oakland to walk to the grove. We recommend taking Mountain/Moraga Road in Montclair to Snake Road, to Shephard’s Canyon, and a right on Skyline until you reach Skyline Gate Parking Lot. Map it.

When: Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 10AM. Program ends at 3:30pm.

Food: Bring a bag lunch, a cup, and any utensils you need. We’ll provide a delicious seasonal tree fruity dessert!

Kids: Bring the kids! In the morning, Ariela Ronay-Jinich and other trained educators will take your kids on an experiential journey into the wilds – for ages 4-10. Activities will focus on meeting trees through our five senses, using song, story, movement, and nature games to guide our exploration. Children will come away with direct nature experiences, knowledge about trees and their connection to Torah, and a fun time together in the forest. After lunch, families can participate together in Octopretzel’s sing-along.

Children enrolled in B’hootz attend free.

B’hootz is a ten-week Sunday program for youth aged 6-10. If you register your child for B’hootz, Tu B’Shvat in the Redwoods is included free.

Registration

Cost: Tickets are $30-$55 (sliding scale). There are limited tickets at each price level: For example, when the allotment of $30 tickets have been sold, they will no longer be available, but tickets at $35 and up will be. If you would like a lower priced ticket, please purchase early.  The highest priced tickets reflect the actual cost of the program. If you are able, please pay that amount.  We appreciate your generosity and your understanding of both the value and cost of these amazing programs!

The seder is designed to be interactive and inviting for people ages 11 and up.  Price for teens ages 11-18 is $25.  Children ages 4-10 are invited to join the children’s program, and tickets are $20.  Children 3 and under are free!

Work Exchange:  There are some work-exchange positions available.  Inquire to apply by Jan 16th.

Public Ticket Sales end when full or at 5pm Tuesday February 7th.   There may be a few of the higher priced tickets available after ticket sales close, but don’t count on it.  Purchase your tickets soon!  See our refund policy here.

What You Need to Know:

• We will meet rain or shine. Our seder will take place in a shaded grove where it will be chilly and maybe rainy. Bring a warm hat, layers, and a warm jacket.

• Please bring a bag lunch, we’ll provide dessert!

• It is a moderate 15-minute walk down a hill to the Grove from Skyline Gate.

• Please bring a cup for the seder.

• Bring a thermos of tea or other hot beverage if you like.
  

• We will be seated on the ground. It may be damp, so consider bringing a blanket to sit on, or an easy-to-carry chair if sitting on the ground is uncomfortable for you.

Giving Back to our ancient relatives:
The Redwood Trees

As we connect with the trees on Tu B’shvat, it is a tradition to plant trees and help to reforest a world where humans have had a large impact on the habitat of our forests.  The beautiful ancient Redwoods are in danger in Northern California.  Here are some resources to help reforest and stop deforestation in Northern California.

Redwood Regional Park: Redwood Regional Park has volunteer days where you can help with trail repair, planting Redwoods and understory plants to reforest the forest floor and help to revive this ancient ecosystem that was once here.  On earth day there will be a focused day of reforestation of the Redwood habitat at Redwood Regional.

Epic: Environmental Protection Information Center is an organization that works to stop specific logging companies from clear-cutting forests in the Pacific Northwest

Earth First Tree Sitting in Northern Cal: Wilderness Torah friends Casey Yurrow and Rivka Sack bonded with the Redwoods and gave back through sitting in some tall tall trees to ensure their protection in Humboldt county, CA.  There are many logging companies that have plans for clear cutting and cutting down some of the most ancient trees that are left.  You can tree sit too, for a weekend, a week, or a month!

May we once again live in harmony with the trees!

Everyone is welcome at Wilderness Torah events. We create pluralistic, multi-generational community celebrations to reconnect us to the earth-based traditions of Judaism. We welcome Jews, non-Jews, interfaith couples, the GLBTQ community, and people of color. We do our best to offer a range of activities so that people of all backgrounds and experience levels can plug in.

Participants should be comfortable in the outdoors and committed to a shared group experience. Prior camping experience is recommended. Please join us to learn about and celebrate the holiday of Tu B’Shvat!