Today is Tu B'Shvat, The Jewish New Year for Trees in Israel. It's Also Groundhog Day. What a Coincidence!

 

Today we celebrate Tu B'Shvat, the Jewish New Year for Trees in Israel.  This least known Jewish holiday is really fun.  No prohibitions that we know of, only eating, drinking, and reciting a Tu B'Shvat Haggadah.  Seems like a great way to get ready for Purim, only one month away, and Pesach, only two months away.

Singer/songwriter Carol Boyd Leon reflects on the timing of Tu B'Shvat and Groundhog Day - on the hopes for spring expressed as Americans gather in Punxatawney, PA to see if the groundhog won't see its shadow, and hopes for new growth as Israelis plant seedlings.

Her song Groundhog Noses was recorded in 2004 on her Gan Shirim (A Garden of Songs) double album which includes 70 original songs that teach about Jewish holidays, values and more through fun.   

 

So enjoy the day with fruits and foods from the seven species mentioned in the Torah (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.)

 

Chag Sameach!

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Early Milton Berle Standup on the Hollywood Palace

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.  

Comedian Milton Berle's career as an entertainer spanned over eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and television. Born Mendel Berlinger in 1908, he dominated the television screen for most of the twentieth century. 

Here's a video of Milton Berle in the first of many appearances hosting The Hollywood Palace in 1965. 

Enjoy!