Please Note –  To see our online and in-person opportunities, please visit our 
Services, Affiliate Groups, and Adult Education pages.

For a complete list of events and services, visit our Events Calendar.

 

SHAVUOT

 About Shavuot

 

The holiday Shavuot falls seven weeks after the holiday of Passover.  The Torah refers to Shavuot as Hag Ha-Katsir (The Feast of the Harvest) and Yom Ha-Bikkurim (The Day of First Fruits), observed by offerings of the best ripe produce of the fields (Exodus 23:16; Numbers 28:26).

We also celebrate Shavuot as the festival of the Giving of the Torah (Z’man Matan Torateynu) at Mount Sinai. The first night of the festival often includes study in an event called a Tikkun Leil Shavuot.

On the first day of Shavuot we read the section of the Ten Commandments from the Torah, considering ourselves as having been at Sinai to personally receive Torah. The Book of Ruth is also read for its description of a summer harvest in Israel. It is traditional to consume milk and dairy dishes, comparing the Torah to milk, according to an interpretation of the Song of Songs verse, “honey and milk are under your tongue.” It is also a tradition that the Israelites did not have the laws of kashrut for eating meat, so they ate only dairy foods. 

­— Adapted from A Book of Jewish Concepts by Phillip Birnbaum

 

This year Shavuot begins at sundown on Thursday, May 21.

& continues through sundown on Saturday, May 23.

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Celebrate Shavuot with us!

Join us for a Community Shavuot Experience from Thursday, May 21 at 7pm to Friday, May 22 at 4am at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718.

Join diverse Southern Arizona Jewish clergy, educators, and leaders for an innovative night of learning, eating, singing, movement, crafting, connecting, and more. Hybrid mincha/ma’ariv services with CAI clergy to begin the holiday, followed by deep and kinetic learning into the night – with multiple options in each time slot – delicious snacks throughout the evening, and two opportunities to gather as a community. Whether you join us for the entirety of the evening or pop in when works for you, we look forward to standing at Sinai together.

Shavuot Service Schedule

 

All You Need is Love:

A Tikkun Leil Shavuot Experience at The JCC

3800 E. River Road

Thursday, May 21

7:00pm

Ma’ariv Evening Service

7:30pm

Snacks + Schmooze; 20s +30s only gathering

8:00pm

Bringing in Shavuot with Intention Choose Your Own Session (6-7 needed)

9:00pm

Shavuot as the Holiday of Love Choose Your Own Session, followed by joyful Jewish-wedding dancing (6-7 teachers needed)

10:15pm

What is Love? Beit Midrash (using the Limmud packet; 4 facilitators needed)

or Songs of Love Sing-a-long

11:15pm

All’s Fair in Love and Torah Interactive Panel

 

There will also be a special program for teens from 7:30-9:30pm that is being organized by 

Davis Hubbell, who will reach out to the other teen groups. 

Childcare will be available for the first part of the evening.
 

  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE & REGISTER

 

Friday, May 22

9:30am
Hybrid Morning Service in the Rabbi Eisen Beit Midrash and on Zoom

5:30pm
Online Shabbat & Shavuot Evening Service on Zoom

 

Saturday, May 23

9:30am
Hybrid Morning Shabbat & Shavuot Service and Yizkor (approximately 11:00am) in the Rabbi Eisen Beit Midrash and on Zoom

7:45pm

Online End of Chag/Ma'ariv Service on Zoom

 

Watch your email for details and links.

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