In partnership with the São Paulo City Hall and with the support of CONIB, Wizo, Beth-El, and KKL Brazil, a special event celebrating life — Tu Bishvat — was held on Sunday morning, February 22, with the planting of trees at Praça Hélio Schmidt, in Chácara Monte Alegre, São Paulo.

Known as the “New Year of the Trees,” Tu Bishvat is a symbolic moment of renewal, environmental care, and strengthening the commitment to future generations. Traditionally marked by tree planting and the tasting of the Seven Species — wheat, barley, grape, fig, pomegranate, olive, and date — the date reinforces the Jewish people’s historical connection to the land and environmental responsibility.

Seven species of trees were planted in the square, in an initiative that combined tradition and civic engagement. The event also featured activities for children and a festive table with the Seven Species.

Among those present were São Paulo’s Secretary for Climate Change, José Renato Nalini; Santo Amaro Sub-Mayor, Silvio Rocha de Oliveira Jr.; City Councilor Cris Monteiro; Rabbi Uri Lam of Beth-El Synagogue; CONIB’s Executive Director, Sérgio Napchan; WIZO representative Sandra Kropp; Simone Benzinsky of KKL Brazil, along with civil, religious, and community leaders.

“Celebrating Tu Bishvat at Praça Hélio Schmidt means transforming tradition into a living experience. It is about leaving the walls behind and filling the city with meaning. Tu Bishvat is KKL’s holiday. It invites us to a simple yet profound gesture: to put our hands in the soil and plant. Planting is about taking responsibility. It is about thinking of the future. It is about building a legacy, from generation to generation,” emphasized Simone Benzinsky, Director of Education at KKL Brazil.

Sérgio Napchan, CONIB’s Executive Director, also highlighted the ethical and civilizational dimension of environmental issues: “The environmental question is not merely circumstantial. It reveals a deeper crisis, civilizational in nature. It is a call to review values, rebuild bonds, and rediscover our collective responsibility. Judaism, in its millennial wisdom, already brings in its fundamental principles elements that dialogue with ecology. Care for creation, respect for the land, and the principle of bal tashchit — the prohibition of waste and destruction — are expressions of an ethic that recognizes life as sacred.”

He further noted that although environmental issues are not CONIB’s central mission, the organization understands their relevance for the planet’s dynamics and the future of coming generations, citing its participation in the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative Council.

By bringing the celebration to a public space in the city, the event expanded its meaning: it reinforced the Jewish community’s historical and emotional connection with Israel, while presenting universal values such as sustainability, collective responsibility, and care for the planet.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)