Shavuot Starts Tonight! A Holiday of Torah Learning (and Cheesecake)

The holiday of Shavuot starts tonight. Although the two day holiday (one day in Israel) commemorates the giving and receiving of the Torah, it is the least well known and the least observed of the three pilgrimage festivals.

Shavuot doesn't have the vibrant visual symbolism of Pesach and Sukkot. Besides the festive meals that are part of every Jewish holiday, there is an emphasis on all night study and the reading of the Megillah of Ruth in the synagogue.

Here's a refresher from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offering six facts about the holiday, one of which we didn't know about until today. 

We'll be observing the two days of Shavuot tomorrow and on Shabbat, attending classes, eating cheesecake, and reading the Megillah of Ruth with new insight. We'll be back on Sunday with our usual mix.

Shabbat shalom and chag sameach!