'Birthright' Teens Celebrate Tu Bishvat with IDF Soldiers

Birthright is a free program that brings Jews aged 18-26 from all over the world to Israel to experience first-hand what their ancestral homeland is all about. For many of the attendees, this was their first time in Israel, and their first time on a military base.

After their long bus ride to the base, the teens were welcomed with traditional Tu Bishvat foods such as nuts, dried fruit and cakes. Followed by a short presentation about tanks and their operators, they got to see, touch and photograph the tanks themselves.

After the tanks, soldiers and teens alike got to plant trees. In fact, planting trees in Israel is such a major part of Israeli culture, that Israel was the only nation in the world to enter the 21st century with more trees than it had when it entered the 20th century.

 As the base visit came to a close, the Birthright group’s Rabbi spoke:

“These seedlings you have just planted in Israel are just like the seeds inside each and every one of you. Joining Birthright is as much a privilege as it is an obligation, you must each return home and share what you have found here with your friends and family to teach them of the beauties of Israel and Judaism.”