Two new trees for Tu B'Shevat

Two new fruit trees were planted in the Spring Hills Lake Mary Assisted Living courtyard on Thursday Jan. 16, in conjunction with the Jewish annual celebration of Tu B'Shevat, observed as the "Jewish New Year for Trees." 

Residents of the community, assisted by the Jewish Pavilion, participated in adding one banana tree and one lime tree to the kitchen garden already established in the community. This year's trees join the avocado and lemon trees planted during their Tu B'Shevat celebration in 2013.

"At Spring Hills Lake Mary, we are dedicated to recognizing the holidays, holy days and honored traditions of all of our residents and sharing their stories with everyone here," explained Robin Wolfe, director of Recreational Services. "Tu B'Shevat celebrates ecology and environmentalism and that's a beautiful message that everyone can easily appreciate and enjoy. It also goes along perfectly with another key thing we value in all of the Spring Hills senior communities. We're dedicated to maintaining kitchen gardens and incorporating as much fresh, in-house produce and herbs into our residents' healthy meals as possible."  

The Spring Hills Lake Mary community uses the fruit trees planted during their annual Tu B'Shevat ceremonies as part of a compact garden, which also employs three vertical hydroponic towers to grow a variety of produce used in community meal preparation. "As the years go on, and we harvest the trees we plant during Tu B'Shevat, each piece of fruit is much more significant than grabbing something fresh to eat from the local grocery store. We know where we were when we planted the trees and recall the meaningful traditions we experience together each January, courtesy of Emily Newman and the wonderful people at The Jewish Pavilion."

The Jewish Pavilion services Spring Hills of Lake Mary each month with room visits and special holiday celebrations throughout the year. To become involved by volunteering, please call the Jewish Pavilion office at 407-678-9363.

For more information regarding senior living, call Orlando Senior Help Desk at 407-678-9363.