Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks, is an important Jewish holiday.
Feast of Shavuot
Shavuot
The holy book - Shavuot
Printable Shavuot
A religious symbol for children
Printable Shavuot coloring book
Shavuot coloring book for kids
Shavuot - interesting facts and information
- Celebration time: Shavuot is celebrated seven weeks after Pesach (Passover). In the Jewish calendar, it falls on the 6th day of the month of Sivan, which in the Gregorian calendar usually means late May or early June.
- Meaning: Shavuot has a double meaning. First, it is a harvest festival that ends the counting period of the omer - 49 days from the second day of Pesach. Second, Shavuot is celebrated as the time when God gave the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
- Traditions: Shavuot traditions include studying Torah (often all night), reciting special prayers and songs, and eating dairy foods such as cheese and milk cakes. This is explained in various ways, but one of the most popular is that receiving the Torah opened up new dietary laws for the Israelites, including those regarding meat and milk, so they eat dairy foods to symbolize this.
- Decorations: Many Jewish communities decorate synagogues and homes with flowers and greenery on Shavuot, reflecting both the nature of the harvest festival and the legends of how Mount Sinai bloomed and became green before the Torah was handed down.
- Torah reading: During Shavuot, specific passages from the Torah and Haftarah are read in synagogues. In particular, the Ten Commandments are read, as well as the Book of Ruth, which is related to both the theme of the harvest and conversion to Judaism.
- Confirmation: In some Jewish communities, Shavuot is the day when young people participate in a confirmation ceremony where they publicly pledge to keep the commandments.
