Program 3 - The Tu B'Shvat Party Game
Learning Objective:
To enable students to learn about the various aspects of the festival.

Methods:
(i) The moderator prepares small plaques or cards on which various facts and values related to Tu B'Shvat are written.
(ii) The concepts (or illustrations) on the cards are related such that sets of 4 cards have a common denominator: e.g. one of the 4 questions; one of the 4 mystical worlds; one of the 4 fruits (of the seder); a part of a quotation or legend, etc.
(iii) The content of all these cards are also to be found around the walls of the room, used such that all the necessary data needed for the activity is available; or Virtual Jerusalem's Tu B'Shvat Seder can be accessed on computers in the same facility. A resource person is critical in order to answer content questions and run the activity.
(iv) These cards are hung or stuck (loosely) on the back of each group or class member.
(v) By asking questions which can only receive 'yes' or 'no' answers, students find out from each other "who they are" and then have to search out three other group members with the same concept category as theirs.
(vi) On discovering each other, small groups are formed whose members then have to discuss the value, meaning and purpose of the Tu B'Shvat concept they represent.
(vii) Each group has to prepare a manifesto or skit that illustrates the importance of the concept, its relationship to Tu B'Shvat and the case for preserving the "concept" over other concepts in the game.
(viii) Groups present their "case" to each other, and take a vote as to why their concepts "deserve" to be maintained in Jewish life.
(ix) The moderator concludes the activity with a brief summary of the major ideas to emerge from the discussion.

Program 4 - Tree Planting
Learning objectives:
a) To enable students to make a real contribution to nature and/or Israel.
b) To enable students to celebrate Tu B'Shvat
Program:
After exploring various angles of Tu B'Shvat, and learning about the Jewish National Fund, students prepare for a variety of activities, including tree planting. Where possible, this includes raising funds for trees to be planted in Israel, as well as in their own neighborhood.

** Students might want to relate to the overall redevelopment of the Land of Israel from any of the perspectives emerging from this activity: traditional; national; ethical; universal; and environmental.

** As with most activities, the greater the degree of student involvement in all the stages of preparing for, and contributing to, the creative elements of the tree-planting ceremony, the more profound the experience will be for them.

** On the Virtual Jerusalem Tu B'Shvat site, you will find ideas for a tree planting ceremony, including a poem and prayer. Of course, you and your students can distill readings and other programmatic elements for the ceremony from the site itself, or from other sources (see below).

** This activity is could be co-ordinated with the Jewish National Fund. Addresses include:

Israel: Tree Planting Centers, POB 283, Jerusalem, Israel 91002
Tel: 972 2 6707402 Fax: 972 2 6241781 Toll free (Israel): 177 022 3484
U.S.A: 78 Randall Ave., Rockville Centre, New York, NY 11570.
Canada: 1980 Sherbrooke St. W., #500, Montreal, Quebec, H3H 1E8.
England: Harold Poster House, Kingsbury Circle, London NW9 9SP.