I often call Shavuot the “forgotten holiday.” Although it is one of the three pilgrimage festivals, and it commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, Shavuot often gets little notice in our community. School is winding down, summer is here, and Shavuot seems to be very far from our minds.
But that shouldn’t be the case. Shavuot is an opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to Torah, to all of Jewish wisdom, learning, and practice. Like Ruth, it is a time for us to commit to “choosing” Judaism. On Shavuot we remind ourselves to be grateful for the gift of our tradition, for the possibility of discovering God in our lives, and for the gift of Torah that links all Jews to one another.
And of course, it is a time to enjoy some delicious cheesecake and blintzes- because what is a Jewish celebration without food!
Shavuot begins tomorrow night. Come and join the Torat El community as we join together with Temple Beth Miriam for an evening of study dedicated to discovering God’s presence in our world and in our lives. And yes, we will have cheesecake!
And for more on Shavuot, please check out the following link that describes the holiday. http://www.kolel.org/pages/holidays/Shavuot_intro.html
Chag Sameach!