Related Blog Posts on Shavuot

an image of a diverse group of people of different genders, ages, and race in a group holding their hands out in the center on top of each other
Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

Shavuot to Juneteenth: A Journey Toward Liberation

Tali Puterman
 June 13, 2023
Temple Israel is engaged in a REDI culture shift, striving to be a synagogue that exemplifies our belief in b’tzelem Elohim (shared humanity) by creating a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Our New Year’s party came from the idea that while this work can be challenging, it is a joy to lift up the diversity and unique lived experiences of those in our community. Following this theme of celebrating our diversity, we began planning our inaugural Shavuot to Juneteenth: A Journey Toward Liberation.
am image of Mt. Sinai in the dessert
Shavuot

Together At Sinai: Four Conversion Stories

Crystal Hill
 May 18, 2023
On Shavuot, many of us study the Book of Ruth. Lauded by Rabbinic tradition as a righteous convert, Ruth’s story continues to resonate with the experiences of many Jews-by-choice today.
dairy products on wheat field table torah symbols
Jewish Learning

Favorite Jewish Teachings from Leaders of Color

Yolanda Savage-Narva
 June 2, 2022
In honor of Shavuot and the Giving of the Torah, I have been spending some time reflecting on some of my favorite teachings from Jewish sacred literature, both those that resonate with me, and those that feel most important or most timely.
soldiers graves with American flags
Secular Holidays

Make Memorial Day Count in 2021

Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz, Ph.D.
 May 11, 2021

On Shavuot, the holiday when we celebrate receiving the Torah marks the completion of counting the omer, we are reminded of the historic and nation-altering moment our ancestors experienced in the desert when God revealed God’s self.

clouds and sunrise representing hope for peace
Israel

A Prayer for Jerusalem

Rabbi Josh Weinberg
 May 10, 2021
Today we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim, the anniversary of that fateful day in 1967 when the Israeli paratroopers reached the Western Wall and announced: "הר הבית בידנו" -- “The Temple Mount is in our Hands.” That moment ushered in the the promise for Jews everywhere, after years of dreaming and longing, to come and pray before this sacred space. 
Home desk setup with Torah study displayed on the screen
Shavuot

How to Observe Shavuot from Home This Year

C.E. Harrison
 May 5, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted so much of how we engage Jewishly, but Shavuot is a fantastic holiday for families to celebrate from the safety of their homes. Here are a few ways you and your family can observe this rich, festive Jewish holiday this year.
Torah Study

What We Can Learn from Ruth and Naomi about Mental Health

Rabbi Edythe Held Mencher, L.C.S.W.
 January 27, 2021
Shavuot offers a glimpse at how others in our tradition faced unimaginable and unremitting losses – and were sometimes helped to prevail. There are powerful lessons for us within the story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth.
Collage of four Black individuals holding signs that say EQUAL
Advocacy

The Black Jews Are Tired

C.E. Harrison
 June 1, 2020

As fulfilling as it was to engage in Shavuot programs, a lot weighs on me. With COVID-19 continuing to ravage Black communities and racist violence all over the news, I almost feel like it’s Yom Kippur instead – the time when Jews are supposed to be most aware of their own mortality.