Etzei Zeitim Omdim

Tu B’Shvat

Tu B’Shvat is the Israeli/Jewish Arbor Day, celebrated by tending

to and planting trees. It is a day for celebrating the environment, our

interconnectedness with, and responsibility for, the environment.

Etzei Zeitim Omdim – traditional folk tune

This song celebrates some of the different trees that are found

growing in Israel today. The children are instructed to stand as still

as a tree while the Hebrew words are sung, but when the “la la la”

part is sung, they turn into the wind and blow around the room,

rooting themselves again when the Hebrew returns. I have the

children suggest other kinds of trees that they know about, or that

grow in the part of the world where we are. For older children, (4

and up) I have them try and stand the way the different kinds of

trees stand:

Zeitim – olive trees: twisted, short, squat, and old, but very, very

sturdy

Shkediot – almond trees: the first tree to blossom at Tu B’Shvat

with pink and white blooms

Alon – oak trees: tall and strong, (though Israeli oak are not quite

as American oak trees)

Dekalim – date palm trees: tall and thin with lots of heavy, sweet

fruit at the top

Oranim – pine trees: branches sloping in a downward angle

If you prefer to sing it in English, simply translate as:

The olive trees are standing (2x), La la la… the olive trees are

standing (2x), etc.

Etzei zeitim omdim, (2x), La la la… Etzei zeitim omdim (2x)

HaShkedi’ot omdot (2x), La la la… HaShkedi’ot Omdot (2x)

Etzei Alon omdim (2x), La la la… Etzei Alon Omdim (2x)

HaDekalim omdim (2x), La la la… HaDekalim omdim (2x)

HaOranim omdim (2x), La la la… HaOranim omdim (2x)

Etzei zeitim omdim, (2x) La la la… Etzei zeitim omdim (2x)