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Trees and fruit for Tu B’Shevat!

The dome of the synagogue in Florence, Italy, framed by pomegranates -- a symbol of the new year -- on some of the many pomegranate trees in the synagogue garden
The dome of the synagogue in Florence, Italy, framed by pomegranates  in the synagogue garden

 

Saturday marks Tu B’Shevat — the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat, which is known as “the New Year for Trees.” It is the time of year when the earliest-blooming trees in the land of Israel start to flower.  It is the custom to reflect on our relationship with nature and to enjoy fruit, especially the olives, dates, grapes, figs, and pomegranates that are named in the Torah.

At JHE we are celebrating the holiday with photos that show how images of fruit and trees figure in to Jewish decorative art — in synagogues, on gravestones, and as part of ritual objects.

 

Fruit in the (repainted) wall paintings in the Tsori Gilad synagogue in L'viv, Ukraine.
Fruit in the (repainted) wall paintings in the Tsori Gilad synagogue in L’viv, Ukraine.
The Ark in the Heydukova st. synagogue in Bratislava, Slovakia is decorated with a carving that depicts what looks like a pomegranate bush
The Ark in the Heydukova st. synagogue in Bratislava, Slovakia is decorated with a carving that depicts what looks like a pomegranate bush
Finials that decorate the rollers of torah scrolls are called rimmonim -- pomegranates -- because of their shape
Finials that decorate the rollers of torah scrolls are called rimmonim — pomegranates — because of their shape
From Ana Lebl in Split, Croatia - a gravestone in the Old Jewish Cemetery on Marjan Hill that feature oak leaves, branches, and acorns
From Ana Lebl in Split, Croatia – a gravestone in the Old Jewish Cemetery on Marjan Hill that feature oak leaves and acorns
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Grapevines and potted plants on the gravestone of  Esther daughter of Meshullam Zalman in Bolekhiv, Ukraine
A cluster of grapes on the fragment of a gravestone in Lublin, Poland
A cluster of grapes on the fragment of a gravestone in Lublin, Poland
More grapes from Lublin's Old Jewish Cemetery, this time carried by a bear
More grapes from Lublin’s Old Jewish Cemetery, this time carried by a bear
Old Jewish Cemetery, Venice
Scouts carrying grapes; in the Old Jewish Cemetery, Venice

 

In gravestone art, trees can be symbols of life, as well as of death.

The carved decoration on Henryk Halkowski's gravestone was designed by his close friend Marta Gołab, an acclaimed paper cut artist. Photo © Ruth Ellen Gruber
The carved decoration on Jewish writer and activists Henryk Halkowski’s gravestone in Krakow was designed by his close friend Marta Gołab, an acclaimed paper cut artist. Photo © Ruth Ellen Gruber
Busk, Ukraine. Candelabra on a gravestone shows it as an outgrowth of the Tree of Life
Busk, Ukraine. The Candelabra on the gravestone of Freida Mindil daughter of Aharon Shlomo shows it as an outgrowth of the Tree of Life

 

Gravestone in Warsaw's Okopowa st Jewish cemetery
Trees as part of the sculpted decoration on a weathered gravestone in Warsaw’s Okopowa st Jewish cemetery
Radauti hands-wm5
The gravestone of Israel son of Zvi Arie Ha-Cohen in Radauti, Romania shows the hand of God breaking the Tree of Life
Trees in the Schönhauser allee Jewish cemetery in Berlin
Trees in the Schönhauser allee Jewish cemetery in Berlin

 

 

 

 

 

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