There were three things the Nazis could not take from us:
They could not take the blue sky, above us for our gazing.
They could not take the flood of sunlight, pouring into our courtyard nourishing us and our trees.
But most of all, they could not take our invisible God who remained buried deeply in our hearts.

I returned home here
To Theresienstadt.
I stand guard here
on this rise
of this hill
by this tree
that moves slightly
as it creaks the names
of the children
slowly to me…
every night.

We watch over this place. This tree and I.
We watch over the children of Theresienstadt.
We still here their songs.
Shhh-hh-h…do you hear?

Plant a Tree
by Lucy Larcom (1826-1891)

He who plants a tree- plants hope…
He who plants a tree-plants joy…
He who plants a tree- plants youth…
He who plants a tree- plants love…
Gifts that grow are best
Hands that bless are blest
Plant! Life does the rest!
Heaven and earth help plant a tree
And his work its own reward shall be

When a child was born, his or her parents planted a tree in his or her honor: a cedar tree for every boy, and a pine tree for every girl. By doing so, these parents projected their hope that, like the tree, their child would grow, blossom, and put down roots. Parents also hoped their child would learn to appreciate nature. Upon the child's marriage, wood from this tree was used for the chuppah, wedding canopy.
~ Babylonian Talmud, tractate Gittin, page 57a

Master of the Universe
Grant me the ability to be alone.
May it be my custom to go outdoors each day
Among the trees and grass, among all growing things
And there may I enter into prayer
To talk with the One I belong to.

~ Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav

The midrash (Jewish tale) tells the story of an elderly man, in ancient Israel, who stopped to plant a fig tree. A Roman officer saw him and laughed saying: "You Jews are stupid. Don't you realize it will take twenty years before that tree will grow enough to give fruit and you will be long dead by then?" The elderly man responded: "When I was a small child I could eat fruit because those who came before me had planted trees. Am I not obliged to do the same for the next generation?"

When you come into the land you shall plant…" (Leviticus 19:23). The Holy One said to Israel, "Even though you will find the land full of goodness, don't say, 'We will sit and not plant.' Rather be careful to plant trees. Just as you found trees which other had planted, so you should plant for your children. No one should say, "I am old. How many more years shall I live? Why should I be troubled for the sake of others?' Just as he found trees, he should add more by planting even if he is old."
~ Midrash Tanchuma, Kedoshim 8

In a play on one of the Hebrew words for tree or brush, siach, it is said that trees are created as friends and partners for human beings, engaging them, meshichim, in constant dialogue
~ Midrash Genesis Rabbah 13:2