By Lisa Plotkin, PJ Library Coordinator, JCFR
Breathe in for 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1. Breathe out for 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 -1. Repeat. Now, picture an unseasonably gorgeous February afternoon in the mid-50s at Chesterfield’s beautiful Rockwood Park.
This setting welcomed almost 40 PJ participants at PJ Library’s Treasure the Trees on Feb. 9, presented with Kehillah RVA’s Rabbi Patrick Beaulier.
Families learned about and celebrated Tu B’SThevat, the Jewish new year of the trees.
What a perfect afternoon it was to extend gratitude to nature and trees, as everyone was happy to feel the sunshine and breathe fresh air after bone-chilling cold and rain-drenched days, and just ahead of another snowstorm.
Participants engaged in a trail scavenger hunt, collected loose items from our nature walk to create unique paint brushes, and used the PJ Library nature journals to capture their thoughts.
Multiple aspects of the event were intended to share various ways to appreciate, care for, or honor nature and trees, including the reusable and recyclable name tags, recycled cardboard painting canvases, and paper snack cups.
Rabbi Patrick led the group through the Shechechiyanu, a prayer of gratitude for being together and experiencing a special moment after a leisurely walk through the forest.
He explained the snacks from trees that everyone enjoyed: with hard inside and edible outside (dates), with hard outside and edible inside (almonds), and entirely edible (blueberries, raisins). One interpretation he shared was that the varieties of foods are metaphors for types of people.
One PJ parent noted, “I met another family with two children close in age to my own, and they don’t live too far from us.”
This is one of the intentional beauties of PJ Library – to connect Jewish families together to build strength in relationships.
Another PJ Parent reflected, “We can (and do) love the trees all year round, but… there is something so special about the annual ritual of taking some time to be present and intentionally honor the trees for all they do for us and the planet. Lisa and Rabbi Patrick helped start the conversation to really get our minds focused on loving the trees. That’s what we were there to do, and that’s what we did.”
Thanks to several parent volunteers for lending their hands, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond for making PJ Library RVA possible, and Kehillah RVA’s Rabbi Patrick for bringing his joy and wisdom.
Visit kehillahrva.org for more information about Kehillah. Please contact Lisa at PJLibrary@JewishRichmond.org with any local PJ Library questions.
Save the Date: PJ Library RVA will see Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus – The Musical! on Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m., at VaRep, at a specially discounted rate!
