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Plant a Tree of Life

Age:	all ages
Group Size:	any size
Length of program:	20-30 minutes, excluding travel time to the site of planting
Goal:	To provide a hands-on teaching opportunity about the importance and majesty of trees.

This ceremony can be held at any season appropriate for tree planting. It can be held on congregational grounds or at any other appropriate location. You can plant one or more trees. You may want to ask your city or town parks department which areas in your community would most benefit from the planting of trees.

Bear in mind that the ongoing care that trees require to remain healthy is of equal importance to their actual planting. Continuing care of the trees can be part of other programs.

In connection with these programs, laws and other writings related to tree planting can be studied. Refer to the Resources section for sources on trees in Jewish tradition.

1) Preparing for planting trees

To prepare for the tree planting ceremony, the following materials are included (see part 4 below):

• a model synagogue bulletin article announcing the tree planting ceremony
• a list of facts about trees, including care for a new tree
• a sample tree planting ceremony

To order seedlings from the National Arbor Day Foundation, send $10 to the National Arbor Day Foundation (NADF), 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 684 10, tel- 402/474-5655. Include with your payment a letter asking for membership in NADF and an assortment of 10 tree seedlings. Your letter must be received at least three weeks in advance of your planting date. NADF seedlings are guaranteed to survive when cared for properly-, any tree that dies despite proper care will be replaced free of charge.

To order packets of seeds and soil from EarthPlan Inc., contact Jerry Beckerman at 2127 Hyland Ave., Ventura, CA 93001, tel. 805/643-9303. Seed packets include a guide for teachers that can be used as a starting point for discussions about environmental stewardship. The cost of a packet of seeds and soil varies depending on the quantity ordered.

2) Ongoing care

If trees are planted on or near synagogue grounds, arrangements should be made for classes in the synagogue's school to participate in the ongoing care of the trees.

3) Sponsoring the planting of trees

At the same time that your group physically plants its own trees, it may also donate money to have trees planted in its name in Israel through the Jewish National Fund or in rainforests around the globe through the World Wildlife Fund. To sponsor the planting of trees contact:

World Wildlife Fund Department MCF 1250 24th St., NW Washington, DC 20037

Jewish National Fund Department of Education 114 East 32nd St., Suite 1501 New York, NY 10016

4) Planting the tree

Model Synagogue Bulletin Announcement (PDF)
Tree Planting Ceremony (PDF)

Facts about trees (from Earth Day Inc.)

• Trees nor only provide wood, paper, fruit, nuts, shade, natural beauty, and a buffer against noise; they also play an important role in Earth's natural cycles by capturing the "greenhouse gas" carbon dioxide, and releasing oxygen.
• A typical healthy tree removes between 25 and 45 pounds of carbon from the air every year.
• Trees prevent flooding and help control soil erosion.
• Well-positioned trees can shade buildings and thereby reduce energy consumption by as much as 50%.
• Trees provide habitat for a wide variety of birds, insects, and other animals, and, when they die and decompose, trees replenish the soil with nutrients.