Chicagoland Jewish High School hosts tree celebration in Deerfield

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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:34AM

At least 600 people are expected Sunday at the Chicagoland Jewish High School in Deerfield to observe Tu B’Shevat, the celebration of trees.

The annual event, which has free admission and is open to everyone, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1095 Lake Cook Road. The celebration will include free arts and crafts, games and prizes for youngsters, as well as live entertainment, highlighted by the planting of Norway spruce saplings. Food and snacks also will be available.

For adults, the event will provide the opportunity to donate to the cause, which is sponsored by the Jewish National Fund, as well as the U.S. Forest Service.

The tree effort has led to the planting of more than 240 million trees in Israel, said Rick Kruger, regional director of the Jewish National Fund, a non-profit organization that began the forestation of Israel in 1901.

“The U.S. Forest Service came to us and said they wanted to do a family celebration here like they had done in Arizona,” Kruger said. “We started with about 300 people coming four years ago.”

The second event drew about 450 people, and the third 600, so JNF officials expect at least another 600 if the weather is good.

“We set big pine trees up like they’re a forest. We give the kids pots, dirt and saplings to plant and take home. We’ve given away about 400 a year, so about 1,600 during the last few years,” Kruger said.

Yaron Iram, assistant director of the Jewish National Fund’s Chicago Region, which is managing the event, said it brings together the community to enjoy an Israeli holiday and the work of the Jewish National Fund.

“The place fills with energy, because the people come for something they believe in and is important,” Iram said.

Michael J. Rizo, the Chicago-based U.S. Forest Service liaison for the Middle East program on this project, said Tu B’Shevat is thought of as a Jewish New Year of Trees.

“It’s equivalent to this country’s Arbor Day. In Israel, it has developed into a tradition of planting trees, because it tends to coincide with the first harvest,” Rizo said. “It is also an ancient observance on the Jewish calendar governing when to harvest fruit.”

Drew Gower, a Middle East program specialist for the U.S. Forest Service’s International Programs, said the forest service has worked with the Jewish National Fund for more than 20 years.

“It started in 1987, when Israel was having pretty severe fires in the forested corridor between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem,” Gower said. “After the fires, the forestry service sent over a team to assess the possibility of re-foresting and restoring the area. Since then, we’ve developed a technical exchange partnership.”

The Forestry Service has hosted at least a dozen Israelis in the U.S. forestry school to get advanced degrees, and has sent more than 50 teams of forest service detailers to participate in technical exchanges, workshops and conferences there.

The Forestry Service also has hosted a similar number of study tours in this country, so Israelis become familiar with U.S. Forest Service land management.

The celebration of Tu B’Shevat is becoming so popular here that it is drawing Jewish organizations from all over the area to participate. The Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living will offer a recycled paper project; B’nai Brith Beber Camp, an art project; Camp Young Judea Midwest, a gummy worms in chocolate mud project; and the Chicago Botanic Gardens, a worm composting exhibit.

Chicago Jewish Day School will provide an art project; Chicagoland Jewish High School, a leaf print project; Congregation Beth Shalom, an edible art project; Congregation Bnai Tikvah, a Tu B’Shevat-themed art project; and the Environmental Protection Agency, a water project.

Friends of Israel Scouts will have a chocolate ball project; Habonim-Dror Camp Tavor, a picture frame and havdala box decoration project; the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, a live reptile exhibit; Primrose Valley Farm, live chicks; and Camp Ramah Wisconsin and Ramah Day Camp, a button-making project.

Shaare Tikvah Bnai Zion will run a yarn doll project; Solomon Schechter Day School, a windmill art project; Temple Beth-El Paper, a leaves decorating project; and The Friendship Circle, a fresh squeezed juice project.

Congregation Beth Am will run a twisted paper tree project; Shorashim, design a high-tech car project; Moriah Early Childhood Center, a recycled art project; the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, rain barrels and coloring books; and the Illinois Holocaust Museum, a bookmark project.

And the Jewish National Fund will present not only the tree planting, but also projects involving rain sticks, a noodle Star of David, friendship bracelets, face painting, coloring house and more.

Choirs, dance groups and a live band, as well as other entertainment, will perform throughout the event. Also appearing will be Smoky the Bear and Blue Box Bob, a character signifying the collection of money to buy land in what is now Israel and other countries.

For more information or to volunteer, contact the Jewish National Fund at RSVPChicago@jnf.org or (847) 656-8880.