Tu B’Shvat in Israel is not at all like we have experienced it before in the US. Here it is not just an abstract Holiday, but you are really enveloped in its joy and holiness. A few days in advance all store fronts have big ads for Tu B’Shvat fruits, everybody talks about it, and the joy of approaching holiday is palpable. On Erev Tu B’Shvat, which was Tuesday this week, every year a group of women organize a hike together in the vicinity of Tzfat, near Meron, to be close to the nature. About 12 women of all ages came to participate, mostly from Tzfat, but some came from other smaller communities in the North, all English-speakers. It was nice to be in the woods and mountains and see blossoming trees and new flowers. A few women prepared some Tu B’Shvat -related teachings, and others also shared mystical stories related to trees and nature. That experience was a great preparation for the evening of that day, on which there were many Tu B’Shvat gatherings, big and small, which we could join. We decided to go to Ascent, which is one of the Lubavitch places in Tsfat, which is two minutes walk from us. When we came to the lobby of Ascent the woman who was taking the registration told us there was no room, because they planned for 50 people, and there were already 60, but this being Israel, it turned out that out of the three women running the program, two were friends of ours, so there was no problem! We asked where it was, and we were told to go downstairs to the “cave.”  We can not really describe it, but the picture does! .In the “cave” there was a very long table covered with many many color-coded plates of various fruit, so they can be eaten in the certain order, established by Arizal in which different types of fruit correspond to different parts of a tree (roots, trunk, brunches and fruit) which also correspond to four spiritual worlds, which also correspond to four letters of the Holy Name of G-d. Seder also included four cups of wine – white, mostly white, half-white/half red, and nearly all red. There were many different types of people, from very religious to completely secular, but we felt like it was one close family. The Rabbi and Rebbetzin Tillis who led the seder gave over many mystical teachings, but many other men and women also contributed and shared thoughts and stories related to Tu B’Shvat. The seder started precisely at 8:08 time it was set for, and it was three hours of incredible mystical stories, joy and laughter, as we never experienced before while eating dry fruits! It seemed like we were there only 5 minutes. This Holiday signifies the beginning of spring in Israel, and living here, you can really feel it. Needless to say, we are happy to be here.