The Festival of Weeks

Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, is a major Jewish holiday that falls on the 6th of Sivan, marking the culmination of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. It commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai over 3,300 years ago. This profound event transformed the Israelites into a nation bound by divine law and established a covenant between God and the Jewish people.

Shavuot is celebrated with several unique traditions, including the reading of the Ten Commandments in the synagogue, staying up all night to study Torah (Tikkun Leil Shavuot), and eating dairy foods, such as cheesecake and blintzes. The custom of eating dairy symbolizes the purity of the Torah and the "land flowing with milk and honey." The holiday is also associated with the Book of Ruth, which is read in synagogues to highlight themes of loyalty, faith, and acceptance of the Torah.

At Chabad Neshama Jewish Center, we observe Shavuot with a warm and welcoming community gathering. We invite everyone to join us for the reading of the Ten Commandments, engaging Torah study sessions, and a delicious dairy meal. Shavuot is a time to reconnect with the divine gift of the Torah and to celebrate the vibrant heritage and teachings that continue to guide and inspire us today.