 | Shavuot at Shir Ami will be sweet and high, deep and meaningful, fun and provocative, cheesecakey and perhaps a bit seductive. How can one Jewish holiday be all of that, while hiding in plain sight? Here's a nuts and bolts of what we'll do together this Shavuot on June 11 (erev Shavuot) and June 12 (culmination and Yizkor). |
Shavuot is one of Judaism's shalosh regalim / three festivals, on par with Passover and Sukkot. In ancient days, Shavuot was an agricultural pilgrimage festival in which folks from far and wide brought the first fruits of the summer harvests to the Temple. In modern life, the "first fruits of the harvest" are Torah itself.
On Shavuot, we stand together – the whole global Jewish community – as if at Sinai and celebrate receiving Torah anew. (Biblically, we received the Ten Commandments on the day that would become Shavuot.)
June 11 starting 7:00pm (live at the home of Joan and David Green) – Erev Shavuot
Shir Ami will dip a toe into Shavuot in a few ways. At the lovely home of Joan and David Green, we'll stand at Torah to receive the Ten Commandments ritually. If space and weather permit, there'll be music and dancing with Torah. Because Torah is imagined to be the "ketubah" (wedding contract) of our collective union with the Sacred that we renew at Shavuot, we'll do some learning together. Keyed to this theme and our first Shavuot as rabbi and congregation, I'll offer teaching and discussion about "spiritual seduction" – how tradition holds that spirituality and Torah woo us.
To support our celebration, expect plenty of white wine and cheesecake, which are Shavuot staples. White wine is for sacred space and celebration. Cheesecake is a modern take on tradition's call to receive Torah's secrets sweetly, like honey under the tongue, that our land of promise should be a land flowing with milk and honey. Wine and sugar also may subtly shift mood and thinking patterns, which is part of the point. Much as Torah records our ancestors' senses getting scrambled at Sinai, we too will intend to lift above our usual feelings and thoughts to receive something new.
Shavuot – wine, cheesecake, music, dancing, and a little spiritual seduction. Hag Sameah!
June 12 starting 7:30pm (online) – Festival Yizkor
As with the other pilgrimage festivals (Passover and Sukkot), we will bring in our loved ones. Yizkor is even more fitting for Shavuot because we say that everyone was at Sinai – every soul that ever was or ever will be. We'll gather online for a mini Pirkei Avot capstone about revelation, a brief service and then a gentle Yizkor of memory and presence.
Have photos of loved ones, white wine or juice, and a Yizkor candle.
On Shavuot, we stand together – the whole global Jewish community – as if at Sinai and celebrate receiving Torah anew. (Biblically, we received the Ten Commandments on the day that would become Shavuot.)
June 11 starting 7:00pm (live at the home of Joan and David Green) – Erev Shavuot
Shir Ami will dip a toe into Shavuot in a few ways. At the lovely home of Joan and David Green, we'll stand at Torah to receive the Ten Commandments ritually. If space and weather permit, there'll be music and dancing with Torah. Because Torah is imagined to be the "ketubah" (wedding contract) of our collective union with the Sacred that we renew at Shavuot, we'll do some learning together. Keyed to this theme and our first Shavuot as rabbi and congregation, I'll offer teaching and discussion about "spiritual seduction" – how tradition holds that spirituality and Torah woo us.
To support our celebration, expect plenty of white wine and cheesecake, which are Shavuot staples. White wine is for sacred space and celebration. Cheesecake is a modern take on tradition's call to receive Torah's secrets sweetly, like honey under the tongue, that our land of promise should be a land flowing with milk and honey. Wine and sugar also may subtly shift mood and thinking patterns, which is part of the point. Much as Torah records our ancestors' senses getting scrambled at Sinai, we too will intend to lift above our usual feelings and thoughts to receive something new.
Shavuot – wine, cheesecake, music, dancing, and a little spiritual seduction. Hag Sameah!
June 12 starting 7:30pm (online) – Festival Yizkor
As with the other pilgrimage festivals (Passover and Sukkot), we will bring in our loved ones. Yizkor is even more fitting for Shavuot because we say that everyone was at Sinai – every soul that ever was or ever will be. We'll gather online for a mini Pirkei Avot capstone about revelation, a brief service and then a gentle Yizkor of memory and presence.
Have photos of loved ones, white wine or juice, and a Yizkor candle.
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