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Israeli street food – the magnificent and humble boureka

The square shape of the bourekas tells us that they are filled with a potato filling One does not have to spend a long time in Israel to get your first introduction to a boureka. These savory stuffed pastries are everywhere You'll find them for breakfast in hotel dining halls, in countless bakeries and coffee shops, on picnics and even at restaurants that only serve bourekas. They are often eaten in Israeli homes as part of a 'light' or diary meal in the evenings. (Most households in Israel usually serve the large cooked meal at lunchtime.) More often than not, bourekas are also an integral part of the wonderful Friday or Shabbat brunch table. To be really honest however, you basically eat a boureka whenever you encounter one. They are that irresistible. If you stop to grab a quick coffee at a coffee shop, the comforting smell of the bourekas will convince you to upgrade to a 'café ve'ma afe' (coffee + pastry). Wandering through street markets, the sight of fres

Happy Birthday Mister Tree - by Marina Shemesh


An olive tree with Haifa harbor in the background and my youngest playing around with her red balloon .
Yesterday, we celebrated the birthdays of all the trees in Israel.


A birthday for trees?
Yes, in Israel, the Jewish date of Tu b’Shevat  (the 15th of the month Shevat) is considered to be the New Year of trees. Trees do not get individual birthdays like humans – that would be a bit too much! Instead all of the trees are considered to be one year older after Tu b’Shevat.  This collective birthdate is usually described as the trees’ New Year.

Why should one know how old a tree then?
It is a totally Jewish thing.  According to Jewish law, fruit can only be eaten from a tree in its’ fifth year. The fruit of the first three years are forbidden, and in later years various tithes  (10% of the produce) have to be given. So it is necessary to know how old a tree is – especially fruit trees.

How do you celebrate a tree’s birthday?
By eating fruit of course! Usually dried fruit - Tu b’Shevat   is in the winter and though some trees have started to blossom, fresh produce is not available.

Religious Jews have a Tu b’Shevat  Seder and  recite special prayers at Tu b’Shevat . You can read more about the religious insights of this holiday at Aish.com

Secular Israelis have adopted Tu b’Shevat  as Arbor Day and trees are planted in various ceremonies all  over the country.  You can read more about the tree planting activities and environmental programs at KKL – the government body in charge of forests here in Israel.

And what did my kids and I do on Tu b’Shevat ?

It is not a big holiday so the schools and work places did not close. My youngest had a Dried Fruit – party in her class and made art work with twigs and leaves.

My eldest had a class trip to one of the parks in our town where they studied the various trees there. And in the afternoon I went for a little hike in a nearby forest.

The trees did not offer me cake or anything but I still had a great time. They are so gracefully about getting old, happy about the heavy winter rains and already preparing themselves for spring.

Two large ficus trees in a park near my house.  They must be quite old - but I did not dare ask them their age!
Happy Tu b’Shevat   everyone!

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