Yes! The middle child of Jewish holidays, Shavuot, is this Wednesday. Packed between Pesach and the High Holy Days, it is easy to forget about this major Jewish celebration. Over our history, Shavuot has been a holiday to mark the fruit harvest, the wheat harvest, and the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. In the last 500 years, most communities that celebrate Shavuot hold all-night study-a-thons and feast on dairy treats.
Where does this tradition come from?
Over 500 years ago, Rabbi Shlomo Alkebetz—the very same rabbi who wrote L’cha Dodi— created a tradition to study all night. Rabbi Alkebetz wrote in one of his books that he and his study partner, Rabbi Yosef Karo, once stayed up all night on Shavuot to study sacred Jewish texts together. After hours of study, late into the night, Rabbis Aklebetz and Karo heard the voice of God and fell onto their faces out of fear and awe.
Rabbi Karo recorded in one of his books that the custom in his synagogue was to decorate with green plants and serve dairy delicacies on Shavuot. Both of these traditions serve the ultimate goal of feeling joy for the holiday.
How do we celebrate at Temple Emanu-El?
At Temple Emanu-El we have a tradition to celebrate Shavuot with Jews from across Atlanta. Every year we gather with congregations from around the northern suburbs of Atlanta to have a communal study session, and dairy buffet, and experience the joy of the holiday together. Just like when the Israelites received the Torah from Mt. Sinai, so too do we gather at different synagogues each summer.
Join Rabbi Rachael at Temple Beth Tikvah, this Tuesday night, June 11th from 6:30–9:30, for an evening of study and sweets!
You can register by clicking HERE.
