Shavuot

Shavuot is a minor, ancient pilgrimage festival that marked the harvest of barley. Shavuot literally means “weeks,” so named because the festival is exactly seven weeks (plus one day) from the second night of Passover.  For Humanistic Jews, Shavuot is a wonderful day for picnics with fresh loaves of challa.

Shavuot is a significant Jewish holiday with historical and religious importance. The festival commemorates the giving of the Torah, the sacred text containing Jewish laws and teachings, at Mount Sinai. Shavuot falls on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, usually in late May or early June. It is a time when Jews gather in synagogues to study and celebrate their heritage. Traditions include the reading of the Ten Commandments and consuming dairy products like cheesecake and blintzes. Shavuot also marks the agricultural harvest in ancient Israel.

See past celebrations below.

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