The Fig Tree is the first tree mentioned by name in the Bible. Adam and Eve turned to the figs leaves to try to cover themselves, after eating from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. Symbols of prosperity, of well being and of security, figs hide behind the leaves until they are nearly ripe, In her poem, My Father and The Fig Tree, the Palestinian American poet, Naomi ShihabNye writes about her childhood and her fathers stories about his longing for and memory of the taste of figs in his native land. After many years and many started and neglected gardens, her found a house in Dallas Texas and he called her and sang a song of fig happiness. In his new backyard there is a huge prolific fig tree, and finally he was home.

The Olive tree provided the branch that the dove brought to Noah and has symbolized peace since the time of the Greeks. Drought resistant it thrives in poor soil and symbolizes peace, health, blessings, fertility and the concept of ‘putting down roots’. (The olive has an extensive root system which may reach 20 feet below the surface and range as wide.) The olive tree can produce fruit for centuries, new trees are derived from slips that grow from the base of the trunk . “Your sons will be like slips of olive trees all around your table.” (Psalm 128:3)

The Grape vine is regarded as the symbol of the children of Abraham whose people are as interwoven as grape vines. And then there is Dionysus the Greek god of fertility and wine, who is also celebrated here in California. Wine is of course a part of our Friday night Shabbat blessings: Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

The Apple tree is celebrated at the Jewish New year with slices of apple dipped in honey, and for the Orthodox, apple slices with honey are also given to children to introduce them to the sweetness of studying and gaining knowledge. Additionally apples symbolize temptation and sexuality. Interestingly apple seeds are not true to their fruit, and to achieve consistency they are grafted onto root stock. In Islam “A good word is as a good tree, its root set firm and its branches in heaven.” Trees, the largest living things on earth, stretch up to the heavens and are as a bridge between two worlds. They are the upright path and the upright person and are depicted in art and architecture. (Reference: The Tree Symbol in Islam by Noble Ross Reat)

The Almond tree is among the first trees to awaken in spring, the beautiful delicately scented blossoms were so lovely after winter, that G-d directed Moses to place them at the top of the Menorah (which is itself a depiction of The Tree of Life), decorating the cups in which the oil, or candles, is lit. At Tu B’shevat we eat almonds to celebrate the return of spring. In Hebrew, the word almond comes from a word whose root means to watch or to wake (Jer 1:11-12)

The Pomegranate “For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land…a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates” (Deuteronomy 8:7-8). Symbolically there are 613 seeds in a pomegranate, aligning with the 613 mitzvot, or good deeds. Pomegranates symbolize fertility and love and they are mentioned in the Song of Songs 4.3 Often we see silver pomegranates known as Rimonim, grace Torah scrolls.

The Date Palm is honored by Jews, Christians and Muslims. To the Ancient Egyptians, it was a symbol of fertility, associated with the sun god, Ra. There are multiple Bible reference to dates which have been a staple food of the Middle East for thousands of years and may be the oldest known fruit. Part of our California landscape, the date palm was brought here and to Mexico by the Spaniards in 1765.

The Oak In the Bible, the first indication that trees were held to be divine, is that two words frequently appearing in the bible, alon (oak) and ela (terebinth - a kind of pistachio tree), apparently derive etymologically from “el” - the Hebrew word for “god.” Elon Gilad wrote in HAARETZ. The oak symbolizes strength and long life.

The Cedar of Lebanon was crucial to the growth of civilization. From ship masts to King David’s house and both Temples, to the sarcophagi of Egypt, cedar was prized because its wood does not rot. Symbolizing strength, height, glory, and wealth, the word “cedar” comes from a Semitic word meaning power. Slow-growing trees, that live mainly in the highlands of Lebanon and Turkey, climate change is threatening these magestic, ancient trees.