Join Etz Chaim and Shaarey Tphiloh as we celebrate the New Year for the trees with an evening of inspiration, song and delicious food led by special guests Craig Lapine, Rebecca Blady and Jeremy Borovitz.

Festivities begin at 5:00 with Kabbalat Shabbat led by Rebecca Blady. Rebecca is the co-founder (with Jeremy) of Base Berlin, a home-based, pluralistic Jewish community for young Jews in Berlin, Germany. She teaches on topics related to Jewish identity and spirituality, is a certified yoga instructor, and is currently studying for rabbinic ordination at Yeshivat Maharat.

The evening continues at 6:00 with a Tu B'shevat Seder and light dairy dinner led by Rebecca and Jeremy. Along with co-founding Base Berlin, Jeremy served as the European Director of Jewish education for Moishe House. He lived and taught for three years in Ukraine and two years in Jerusalem before arriving in Brooklyn with Rebecca to begin studying for rabbinic ordination at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.

But wait, that's not all! Following dinner, at 7:00, there will be Etz Chaim Friday night services featuring guest speaker Craig Lapine, founder and Executive Director of Cultivating Community. Founded in 2001, Cultivating Community "grows sustainable communities by expanding access to healthy, local food; by empowering youth and adults to play diverse roles in restoring a local, sustainable food system; and by modeling, teaching, and advocating for ecological food production." He is a past president of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and co-founded what is now the Portland Food Policy Council

After services, at 8:00, there will be an Oneg and maybe, just maybe, a tisch of communal singing led by Jeremy and Rebecca.