Shabbat & Jewish Holidays
Experience Shabbat & Jewish Holidays Your Way!
Let us help you add joy, tradition, and meaning to your family’s Shabbat or holiday celebrations.
From creative ideas to incorporate into your observance to exciting events filled with singing, dancing, and delicious challah, we can help you find ways to make these occasions enjoyable for the whole family — while still feeling authentic, relevant, and meaningful.
Tu B’Shevat: The New Year for Trees
Sundown, Wednesday, January 24 – Sundown, Thursday, January 25
Tu B’Shevat is often referred to as the “New Year of the Trees.” On this holiday, every tree gets one year older. Today, it has become customary for people to plant trees (or green herbs, if you live somewhere cold) on Tu B’Shevat.
The Seven Species
In the Torah (Bible), Israel is described as “a land of wheat and barley, and [grape] vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and [date] honey” (Deuteronomy 8:8). These seven agricultural products are collectively called the Shivat HaMinim (Seven Species). Many people try to eat all seven of them on Tu B’Shevat.
Check out some engaging crafts and ideas to celebrate Tu B’Shevat with your family from PJ Library!
Embrace the Holiday Spirit Through Reading with PJ Library!
Join the 9,500 families in the Greater Boston area receiving FREE Jewish books every month! Available to families with children ages birth to 12 years, this monthly book delivery helps spark meaningful conversations with your children and provides opportunities to explore and celebrate Jewish life and values.
PJ Library also offers in-person and virtual holiday events, family meetups, and volunteer opportunities to connect with the values found in their stories and the people in your community. Register today to join the PJ Library family and receive your first book of many!
Class Spotlight: Lunch and Learn
Delve into Jewish stories, culture, and history with this monthly virtual session for avid learners! Lunch and Learn is a text-based, 30–minute discussion group led by our Jewish Educator Liz Levin that explores key Jewish concepts through the medium of literature. Don’t worry — it’s all in English!
Upcoming themes include Tu b’Shevat, Mythical Beasts, and the Haggadah with no prior knowledge needed, so mark your calendars and register below to join in on thoughtful and engaging conversations with like-minded peers. Come learn something new!
Upcoming Events
Lunch & Learn: Commemoration & Celebration
Discover the tapestry of modern Israeli national holidays as we collectively remember the past's tragedies and celebrate…
Shabbat Conclusion — Havdalah
Create the perfect end to Shabbat.
Our Jewish Educator
Director of Jewish Life and Learning
Liz Levin
Director of Jewish Life and Learning
Liz is an accomplished Jewish educator with over 25 years of experience prior to joining JCC Greater Boston in 2021. She has held leadership positions in both formal and informal education programs, with a particular focus on project based learning. At JCC Greater Boston, Liz expertly incorporates Jewish values, learning, and experiences into programs across the organization, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team.