How Tu B’Shvat Came to Be Politicized and Why It Shouldn’t Be

On Monday and Tuesday night this week, Jews around the world attended the seder—one of the most widely observed Jewish rituals. Some had also participated in a seder in February, following the practice of 16th-century mystics who transformed Tu B’Shvat—the fifteenth day of the month of Shvat, or the “new year of the trees”—into a minor holiday complete with a ritual meal. But for most of its contemporary observers in America, Tu B’Shvat has become a day for environmental activism. Tevi Troy, in conversation with Jonathan Silver, explains how doing so is not only unfaithful to the holiday but symptomatic of a dangerous trend toward politicizing Judaism. (Audio, 25 minutes.)