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Shavuot

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Discuss & Discover. Shavuot celebrates the spring harvest, while also serving as a reminder of the occasion when the ancient Israelites received the Torah at Mount Sinai.

  • Jewish Life
  • Holidays

Shavuot, a Jewish holiday whose name literally means “weeks,” is an ancient Jewish holiday with both agricultural and historical associations. It celebrates the end of the barley harvest and the start of the wheat harvest, while also serving as a reminder of the occasion when the ancient Israelites received the 10 commandments at Mount Sinai. The customs associated with the holiday include a tikkun leil Shavuot (Jewish mystical tradition of staying up all night studying Torah), eating dairy products and a public reading of the Biblical Book of Ruth.

Shavuot begins at sunset, June 11 // Observed June 11 – 13, 2024

Celebrate Shavuot

So how does the JCCSF celebrate this festival of weeks and peaks? Like all your favorite Jewish festivals – with food! Flip through the book below for nosh-worthy recipes, thought-provoking questions and other ideas to bring your Shavuot celebration to life.

Thirsty for more? Try a Shavuot-inspired cocktail (or two) from our Maggid and resident mixologist, Jhos Singer! Watch below as he shows you how to mix up his delicious “Land of the Honey Whiskey Sour.” Want to make it yourself? Get the recipe in the video description. L’chaim!

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