Tu B'Shvat

Time to go buy some dates and figs and say Sheheheyanu. It's spring in Israel. Remember the ditty we learned in school (my translation):

The almond tree is blooming

A golden sun is shining

Birds on every rooftop

Announce the holiday

Tu B'Shavat is here

The holiday of trees

An Israeli in one of my yeshivah classes taught me this version that they don't teach in yeshivah; if you understand Hebrew you'll see why:

השקדי-ה פורחת

לנאצר יש קורחת

הוא עלה על העצים

ושבר את הביצים

טו בשבט הגיע

החמור הכריע

טו בשבט עבר

החמור גמר

I came across this cartoon today:

In two months it will be spring here. Hang in there.

Hat tip: Yedidye Hirtenfeld from Young Israel of Midwood