Your one stop source for learning new Jewish music, Hava Nashira is a highly acclaimed music conference which I've been attending since I was a wee pip! This sight includes all of our participants' mp3 song samples, resource lists of songbooks, recordings, and so much more. Visit this page for a supply of hillarious Purim Parodies.

Adrian Durlester has been composing Purimspiel Parodies based on major Broadway shows for some time and now you can check them out and purchase them for your community! Packages can include scripts, CDs, and sheet music.

Babaganewz, my favorite Jewish resource for children on the web, has the most fun Purim Centra! Games, slideshows, art projects, etc. Check it out!

Shushan Purim
At the very end of the Purim story when the Jews have managed to reverse this time of "grief and mourning to one of festive joy," Esther gets a new house, Mordechai gets a promotion and it's clearly time for another party. But when exactly should the party start? Remember that in the story the Jews inside the walled city of Shushan continued to fight on the 13th and the 14th of Adar, so their celebration was to be on the 15th of Adar. This is called Shushan Purim and is still celebrated today in Jerusalem. Everyone else celebrates on Adar 14th. Both days were to be observed "as feasting and merrymaking and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and gifts to the poor." (Esther 9:22)

The Fast of Esther
In Hebrew Ta'a-NIT Es'Ter, the fast takes place on the 13th of Adar. Remember when Esther tells Mordechai to have all of the Jewish people in Shushan fast on her behalf (Esther 4:16)? Today, some fast from the morning of the 13th until after the reading of the Megillah.

M'gee-LAH is Hebrew for Scroll. In Jewish texts, there are 5 Megillot (plural) in the K'tuvim.
1. Song of Songs
2. Ruth
3. Lamentations
4. Ecclesiastes
5. Esther

Generally if there isn't a name associated with the Megillah, it's referring to Megillat Esther, the Scroll of Esther which we read on Purim.

Purimspiel (Pu-rim SHPEEL) is Yiddish for a Purim Play based on Megillat Esther. Usually the spiel is done in a comic style, as a satire, with music, silly characters, and even dance. It originated in Eastern Europe in the 18th century.

Check out Shira's version, That's How We Roll OR A Dr. Seuss Style Spiel OR A Purim Rap !

RA-ASH-a-nim are noisemakers in Hebrew, or GROG-ger in Yiddish (from the Polish word "to rattle.")

Learn how to make a grogger, kazoo, and tambourine HERE!

A-DAR is the 12th month of the Hebrew calendar. It's a winter month with 29 days, usually coinciding with February/March. When there's a leap year, an additional Adar is added to the calendar, called Adar Aleph or Rishon. When this happens (7 times every 19 years) the Purim holiday is celebrated in the second Adar, or Adar Sheini.

Special dates in Adar:
Adar 7th is the traditional date of the birth and death of Moses
Adar 13th is the Fast of Esther
Adar 14th is Purim
Adar 15th is Shushan Purim

The Origins of Tu B'Shvat

The New Year of the trees is not a biblical holiday although there are a number of verses throughout the Tanach that are linked to Tu B’Shvat and that we use to teach about the Jewish perspective on the environment. Historians tell us that the holiday originated as a Springtime folk festival in Israel when the Priests would take one tenth of the fruit trees’ crops and send them to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Back in the day

Back in the day, back in the 16^th century that is, a group of Jewish mystics lived in the holy city of Tzfat in Israel. Over many a day and night they discussed and explored how to relate to God. On the holiday of Tu B’Shvat they wondered how best to honor the New Year of the trees. So they created a special Seder for Tu B’Shvat. (You may remember what a Seder is from Passover.) To this day, we gather together around a table with 4 questions, 4 cups of juice, 3 sets of amazing fruits, plenty of music and great discussion. If you haven’t participated in a Tu B’Shvat Seder, make one yourself this year! It’s a lot of fun, very tasty, and not to mention a way to rediscover what we have in common with the rest of creation. Click here for more resources.

Did you know that the Torah is called a “Tree of Life?” Why do you think that is? If you have ideas, I’d love to hear about them. Send them along to TreeOfLife@shirlala.com By the way, the Torah is also compared to a fig tree. You can read more about it in the Babylonian Talmud or click here for more information!

Trees celebrate their birthday in the winter? Tu B’Shvat usually falls in the wintertime where we live. But in Israel where the holiday was invented, it’s springtime! And we all know what happens in the spring. Blossoms and new leaves and new crops. So we celebrate an agricultural New Year on this day.

Did you know that the name Tu B’Shvat comes from it’s date on the Hebrew calendar? Gematria is a neat system that gives each of the letters of the alef-bet a numerical value. Can you guess what the TU in Tu B’Shvat stands for?

Make your wishes and keep an eye out for 2 trees embracing on this special holiday!

To till and to tend: one of the first mitzvot given to us by God in the Torah. Truly, we are the caretakers of this earth and of all the living things. (Including each other! but that's for another day…) Bal Tashchit is the mitzvah that says, Do Not Destroy/Waste. It comes up in the Torah, Deuteronomy 20:19, having to do with warfare. Even in the heat of battle, we are not permitted to cut down trees and destroy fields for the sake of our advancement and/or the downfall of our enemies. Our Rabbis taught us that "when a tree is cut down, it is as if it's pain resounds throughout the world."

There is a wonderful midrash that tells of God explaining this all to Adam on a lovely walk through the Garden of Eden. God says, "I created all My beautiful and glorious works for your sake. Take heed not to corrupt and destroy My world. For if you destroy it, there is no one to make it right after you." (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13) Sound familiar?

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. These are three different ways of saying bal tashchit. Every day we're learning more and more about the environment and our role in it. Jewish teachers and texts have been talking about it since the very beginning. We are taught that righteousness includes the steps we take to actively care for our world, not to mention our appreciation for the extraordinary beauty offered to us in every direction. I like the way Rabbi Abraham ben Moses (1186-1237) puts it:

"In order to serve God, one needs access to the enjoyment of the the beauties of nature, such as the contemplation of flower-decorated meadows, majestic mountains, flowing rivers… For all these are essential to the spiritual development of even the holiest people."

So this year on Tu B'Shvat, not only do I want you to go out and hug a tree, but I want you to take a serious look at the ways you can reduce your waste on a daily basis.

Ideas for Bal Tashchit? Here are a few of mine:

• Bring your own shopping bags to the grocery store with you. Enough with the plastic grocery bags!
• Reuse, reuse, and reuse again those plastic bags you have stuffed in every corner of the kitchen.
• Really remember to turn of the lights when you leave the room and Really remember to shut off the water while brushing your teeth, washing your face, and washing dishes.
• Use dishtowels and cloth napkins instead of paper
• Reuse your computer paper. Keep a stack of paper you've only used on one side and save it for next time. You can even use the backs of all that junk mail paper you receive every day.

I can't wait to hear about your families' green ways! Please send them in to green@shirlala.com or leave them as a comment. I'll continue to update the list on a special page.

Color in the trees. Now, go find a tree and give it a hug!