Did you touch a tree today?

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In today’s intense and fast-moving world, especially as a Jewish mother raising sensitive, gifted, or neurodiverse children, we’re often searching for calm—for ourselves and for them.

Sometimes, that calm is as close as the nearest tree.

Touch a tree.

It’s not just poetic. It’s grounding. It’s healing. And it’s deeply connected to how G-d created the world.

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Science Is Catching Up to What Our Souls Already Know

Modern research is finally confirming something our ancestors—and our intuition—have known all along: nature heals.

A 2024 article from MUSC Health explains how simply being near trees can lower cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone), reduce blood pressure, and elevate dopamine and serotonin—chemicals in the brain that support well-being and emotional balance.

Trees also release phytoncides, natural antimicrobial oils that boost the immune system when we breathe them in.

For children—especially those who are neurodiverse, gifted, or highly sensitive—spending time in nature has been shown to improve attention, reduce anxiety, and help regulate emotions (Johns Hopkins, 2024).

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But We Don’t Just Know This Because of Science

I know it because I live it.

As a mother, as a teacher, and as a Jewish woman living in Israel, I’ve felt the calming energy that flows through the land. I’ve seen how just touching a tree, placing a hand on its bark, being still under its branches—can shift a moment from chaos to peace.

I’ve seen it in my own children. I see it in the students and families I work with.

And I believe this ability to reconnect through nature is not just biology—it’s spiritual design. G-d made trees for a reason. He planted the first human in a garden, not a city. He gave us nature not just for food—but for comfort, perspective, and quiet connection.

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Torah Wisdom About Trees and the Soul

The Torah calls itself a “Tree of Life” (Etz Chayim), reminding us that deep nourishment and wisdom often grow slowly and silently—like trees.

We’re commanded in the Torah not to destroy fruit trees, even in times of war (bal tashchit)—a radical statement about the sanctity of the natural world.

And every year, on Tu BiShvat, we celebrate the New Year of the Trees—not as a metaphor, but as a real cycle of growth, rooted in the land of Israel and deeply tied to our spiritual work.

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In the Holy Land, the Earth Speaks Differently

Living in Israel—the land G-d gave to the Jewish people—I feel this connection more deeply.

Here, the olive trees are ancient. The air carries something different. And when I walk or pray among the trees, I feel G-d’s presence more clearly than anywhere else.

This is the land where Torah and earth meet. Where healing isn’t just physical or emotional—it’s holy.

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Supporting You and Your Child in the Way You Were Designed

So many Jewish moms are doing everything they can, often from a place of stress, exhaustion, or overwhelm.

But what if we simply stepped into the flow of how G-d designed us?

Calm. Creativity. Connection.

I work with Jewish moms like you—moms raising beautiful, bright, sensitive children who don’t fit into typical boxes. Through writing, nature-based practices, creativity, and emotional insight, I help you and your child find the tools to move from surviving to truly thriving.

Because you were never meant to do this alone.

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Let’s Connect

If you’re a Jewish mom raising a neurodiverse or gifted child, and you’re ready for support that honors your values, your intuition, and your child’s uniqueness—I’d love to connect.

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Sources

• Li, Q. (2024). The Healing Power of Forest Bathing: A Dive into Shinrin-Yoku. MUSC Health.
• Song, C., et al. (2018). Forest bathing can significantly improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Landscape and Urban Planning.
• Torah, Trees and Caring for the Earth. Chabad.org
• Bal Tashchit. Devarim / Deuteronomy 20:19
• Tu BiShvat. Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1

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