Shavuot Hub

Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the 10 commandments and the Torah on Mount Sinai. It occurs seven weeks after Passover. This is when the Counting of the Omer ends. Many spend the first night reading Torah late into the night or even all night! Other fun traditions are eating dairy (because the Torah is sweet like milk and honey), decorating the synagogue and one’s house with greenery, and reading the Book of Ruth.

Learning Goals for Shavuot

My learning goals for this holiday are for my children to recognize that Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the 10 commandments and the Torah.

In the past, we focused a lot on the symbols, traditions and customs of Shavuot but this year I plan to focus more on the 10 Commandments and Torah learning.

Common Symbols of Shavuot

10 commandments: Shavuot celebrates when the Jews received the 10 commandments
Torah: Shavuot celebrates when the Jews received the Torah (the 10 commandments) and the holiday is often observed by reading Torah
Dairy foods: represents the land (Israel) is flowing with milk and honey and that Torah is sweet like milk and honey
Flowers and greenery: After the Torah was received, Mount Sinai blossomed and was filled with flowers and greenery. Shavuot is also a spring harvest festival and nature represents that connection.

Explore our Shavuot crafts, activities, and experiences from this year and previous ones to engage you and your family in a fun and meaningful Shavuot exploration experience!

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