Telfed Tu Be'Shvat sederim

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(Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them. (Bill Vaughan). Telfed once again hosted some 30 Olim for a special tree planting ceremony followed by a Tu Be’Shvat Seder. The Raánana municipality, out to prove Bill Vaughan wrong, handed out trees for free to all residents who were ready to plant them in honour of the national festival of Tu Be’Shvat – the New Year of the Trees, writes Dorron Kline. A separate party was held in Hod Hasharon for the South African students on the Naáleh programme from the Mossensohn school.

The ceremony this year, held in the gardens of the Telfed building on Schwartz street, Raánana, contained an additional element: the celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the Aliyah of our director, Sidney Shapiro, on Tu Be’Shvat 1970. Sid was honoured with the planting of the first tree, together with veteran Olah, Nechama Keynan, who is celebrating her 41^st Aliyah anniversary. (See attached picture). The special prayer recited on planting trees in the Land of Israel was intoned by Executive member Annette Milliner, as a representative of the Telfed volunteers.  

Following the moving ceremony, where young and old alike ensured that their hands were well dirtied with mud, (see attached picture), the entire crowd moved to the Telfed boardroom where a full Seder Tu Be’Shvat was conducted by Dorron Kline, the newly appointed deputy director of Telfed. 4 cups of red and white wine, plenty of delicious fruit and readings from the Tu Be’Shvat Hagada from the 17^th century book “Chemdat Yamim” formed the basis of the Seder.

“This was my first Tu Be’Shvat in Israel. As a new Oleh I was very moved by the tree planting ceremony and the Seder Tu Be’Shvat. I have never taken part in a Seder like this before. It was very interesting and inspiring and I am happy to share it together with such a large number of my fellow Olim. You can count on me being here next year, B”H and I plan to bring a tree myself to plant in the Telfed garden!” said a smiling Mel Cohen, who arrived on the April 2009 Group Flight from South Africa. 

“Telfed is a community organisation,’’ said Telfed’s chairman, Maish Isaacson. ’’Events such as these strengthen our connection to our Southern African community and provide a wonderful opportunity for new Olim to mix with veteran Olim – each one empowering the other. Tu Be’Shvat Sameiach to Am Yisrael!”

The Telfed Hod Ha'Sharon Regional Committee hosted the South African students on the Naáleh programme from the Mossensohn school in Hod Ha'Sharon for a Seder Tu Be'Shvat. Naáleh is a 3 year programme for 10 th grade students from South Afica. The students complete their Israeli Matric and then join the army. In the attached pictures the Naalehu students are seen with Paul Roberts and Nechama Kaynan - acting and past chairpersons of the Telfed Hod Ha'Sharon Regional Committee. The Tu Be'Shvat Seder, consisting of 4 cups of red and white wine and many types of fruit, was conducted by Telfed's deputy director, Dorron Kline, followed by a tasty Israeli meal of pita, Falafel and salads. A big thank you to Paul Roberts for hosting the evening at his house.