Shavuot

Shavuot or the Festival of Weeks is a harvest festival when Jews give thanks for the first fruits of the year. Shavuot also marks the time when Moses received the Torah and the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai which is a highly important event in the Jewish calendar.

Who celebrates?

Jewish people around the world.

How do people celebrate?

• Traditions at this time include reading the Book of Ruth, eating dairy foods and decorating houses and synagogues with a floral theme
• Shavuot is one of the three biblically based pilgrimage holidays known as the shalosh regalim
• On pilgrimage holidays it is traditional for people to visit the ancient Temple in Jerusalem
• On the first day the 10 Commandments are read out and on the second day Yizkor (a memorial prayer) is read.

What should I know?

• Shavuot is also referred to sometimes as Pentecost
• The period between Passover and Shavuot there is a period partial morning in which no celebrations are held
• Like Jewish festivals it begins at sun down the evening before
• In the 2011 census 271,259 people identified as Jewish in the UK.

How can I support others?

• Ask people if they or their families will be celebrating
• Do not assume that because someone is Jewish that they will be celebrating
• Encourage celebrations internally and externally
• Talk to your team about the religious representation among your volunteer, employee and service user population and if it’s representative of your area.

Jewish Learning – Shavuot: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/shavuot-101/

What is Shabuot video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_09L1w6ZgM

Shavuot recipes: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/recipes/shavuot/?posts_per_page=60