So what does that mean in practice, as far as Tu BiShvat celebrations go?
Well, the customary tree-planting events that KKL-JNF holds for the public are out, but that doesn't mean that Tu BiShvat will be less meaningful!
KKL-JNF's
Education and Community Division is running fun educational activities for the public at the KKL-JNF plant nurseries and nature sites throughout the country, that will focus on the special messages of Shmita as they relate to Tu BiShvat, and to KKL-JNF values, namely:
Faith: Taking a hands-off approach reminds us that the fruits of the land are not produced by toil alone, rather that there is a Creator, forces greater than us, that ultimately determine a field's yield.
Ecology: Refraining from destroying the soil through overuse. The Shmita allows the ground to replenish itself, and it also reminds us that nature is an ecological creation, and that it must be used in a balanced, controlled manner.
Social activism: The social commandments around Shmita - to leave the produce of your field free for the taking, and the cancellation of debt - remind us to look beyond ourselves and care for the less-priveleged.
Personal empowerment: Refraining from working the land gves us a year of 'down time', to seek spiritual pursuits and opportunities for personal growth.