A number of tree-planting ceremonies in honor of Tu Bishvat were held in three Abraham Accord countries - Israel, UAE and Bahrain - celebrating the three countries' commitment to tree-planting, conservation and the environment.
The first event was a tree-planting ceremony held in Dubai on January 16, led by Sharaka - an international NGO that leads interfaith delegations of young Israelis to the Gulf and brings delegations of Emirati and Bahraini influencers to Israel to learn about Israeli culture and history - and two other UAE Partners Storey Group and Fakhrudin Group. Members of Dubai's Jewish community participate in the event, along with staff from the three NGOs.
The second event took place in Neot Kdumim Park in Israel on January 17. Oak "trees for peace" were placed in special planters, and will be planted in soil at the end of the Hebrew year, as in Jewish tradition every seventh year is a "year of rest" where trees are not planted, which is occurring now. The event was led by Sharaka Israel and the Jewish National Fund USA.
An additional tree-planting event was held in Bahrain on the same day, led by Sharaka's Bahrain branch.
Tu Bishvat is a Jewish holiday held on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is literally the “New Year of the Trees”. In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration.
Tu Bishvat is about the environment and trees - like the leadership of the UAE. We held a tree-planting event in Dubai to plant trees of peace! Thanks to our partners @thestoreygroup and @TreppanHotels @RabbiUae for speaking and the @sharakango family for participating! pic.twitter.com/PDxqK4PAvU
— Sharaka - شراكة (@sharakango) January 19, 2022
"We might not see these trees in the next few years – but we plant them for the generations to come," Sharaka’s Global Affairs and Communications Director Dan Feferman said at the Israel event.
"So with peace – we must work to plant the seeds now so our future generations will enjoy the fruits of peace," he said. "That is what the holiday and the Abraham Accords are all about."