Shavuot 5785: Stories of Revelation and Journey
Sunday, June 1
7:00 PM: Erev Shavuot Festival Services
7:30 PM - Late: Tikkun Leil Shavuot
This Shavuot we gather to celebrate the giving of the Torah through the lens of one of Judaism’s most resonant themes: the journey. This year’s Shavuot programming centers around immigration the ancient and modern stories of movement, resilience, and revelation that shape who we are as individuals and as a community.
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
7:30 – 8:30 PM – Opening Learning Session
From the journey of Ruth the Moabite, the quintessential immigrant who becomes the matriarch of kings, to the migrations that define Jewish history across the globe, we will explore what it means to leave one home and build another. Through storytelling we’ll reflect on how immigration informs our Jewish identity, values, and responsibilities today. We’ll hear from participants and volunteers of our Fun Club for Refugees, a representative from NJ Immigrant Justice, and the role RAC-NJ is playing around Immigration in New Jersey today.
8:30 PM – Cheesecake
8:45 – 9:30 – Class Session #1 – 2 options
Ruth the Moabite, Ruth the Migrant
Rabbi Becky Jaye
We often read the Book of Ruth and name her as our tradition's first convert. During the holiday of Shavuot, learn about the Ruth narrative through a different lens: Ruth the migrant. How may we explore Ruth's journey to and settlement in Judah in parallel to the migration stories that have formed American history, present, and future? Explore these similarities as we move through select verses of the Book of Ruth and themes of exile and return.
From Emma Lazarus to Ocean Vuong: The Immigrant Story as Captured in Poetry
Rabbi Victor Appell
Poetry has always been a powerful and positive means of expression. The experience of immigration, as captured through poetry, allows the reader to be immersed in the emotions of the immigrant experience - pain, hope, loss, transformation. From the promise of new beginnings to the challenges of assimilation, poetry enables the reader to appreciate the universal connections and struggles that we all share, whether they are our own stories, or those of our families. Join us we explore the evocative language of poetry to paint the immigrant experience.
9:30 --- More Cheesecake
9:45 – 10:30 --- Class Session #2 – 2 options
Mt. Sinai the last time Jews all agreed: How Do We Disagree? Lessons from Torah and Tradition
Rabbi Ethan Prosnit
Disagreement is as old as the Torah itself—from Abraham challenging God, to the debates of the rabbis in the Talmud. But what makes disagreement holy rather than harmful? In this Shavuot session, we’ll explore Jewish texts that model respectful dissent, constructive argument, and the spiritual value of multiple perspectives.
Revelation, and the Book of Jubilees
Rabbi Chuck Lightner
Jubilees was an important Second Temple text that was lost to the West for two thousand years. Sinai, Shavuot, and Revelation are key themes. We'll discuss the book, it's approach to those topics, and its mysterious disappearance.
Shavuot Services
Monday, June 2
9:00 AM: Tiny Tot Shavuot Services
We’ll celebrate the receiving at Torah from Mt. Sinai with our entire bodies. We will have a special Tiny Tot celebration from 9am-10am that will include a social justice art activity, singing and praying, and of course a festive holiday spread of bagels and other dairy treats. Sign up here!
10:00 AM: Shavuot Morning Services with Yizkor/Memorial Prayers
Join us for a morning worship service commemorating the giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai. Our service will include the chanting of the Ten Commandments and the beautiful words from the Book of Ruth. Shavuot is one of the four holidays on which we come together as a community for the Yizkor Memorial Service to remember and honor loved ones who have died. We will end our service with reflection and psalms of mourning.
Sip, Snack and Bloom.
A Flower Arranging Workshop for Shavuot
Thursday, May 29 at 7:30 PM
Celebrate the beauty and spirit of Shavuot with a fun and social twist!
Join us for a hands-on flower arranging workshop inspired by the holiday of Shavuot, a time when we celebrate the giving of the Torah and the bounty of the harvest. Known for its connection to nature, beauty, and the first fruits of the season, we will get ready for Shavuot by creating our very own floral arrangements! Enjoy light dairy treats (a Shavuot favorite!) and sip on some cocktails, hang out with old friends and new,and take home a beautiful bouquet to brighten your space.
No experience necessary—just bring your creativity, a love of flowers and tradition, and a vase (no bigger than a 5-inch opening).
Tickets are $36/person.
This event is sponsored by Sisterhood and Membership.