On Shavuot we celebrate the revelation of Torah at Sinai, from the grandeur of that Sinai moment to the impact that Torah has in our lives each day. One of the Sh’losh Regalim, three pilgrimage festivals, Shavuot was a time when all of ancient Israel would travel to the Temple to worship and be in community. It is traditional to study throughout the night on Shavuot.

In that spirit, arrive early before services to study and help to create our collaborative and creative congregational Shavuot experience. The evening has many options and components, some of which require registration. Please read thoroughly and register below.

Choosing to Walk Together with Rabbi Asher Knight

Read on Shavuot, the Book of Ruth is more than a story of loyalty. It is a story of receiving Torah through relationship. Ruth’s words to Naomi, “Where you go, I will go,” become a kind of personal Sinai: a moment of choosing covenant, belonging, and responsibility. Together, we’ll explore how Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz teach that Torah is not only given from heaven. It is received and lived when we refuse to let one another walk alone.
Imaging the Unimaginable: God in the Ten Commandments with Rabbi Beth Nichols

When we picture the Ten Commandments, most of us imagine two arched stones with ten letters. While this depiction is identifiable to millions, it does not capture the meaning of these commandments. How might we depict them in a way that captures some of their meaning? At the same time, we must be aware that the second commandment seems to forbid the creation of images. Join Rabbi Nichols in a creative exploration of how to represent some or all of the Ten Commandments while holding on to this tension.
Grief, Memory, and Meaning: A Guided Writing Experience with Rabbi Lexi Erdheim

Join Rabbi Erdheim for a thoughtful and grounding experience as we use the practice of writing to navigate grief and honor the memory of our loved ones. In this interactive workshop, participants will engage in guided writing exercises to process loss, reflect on relationships, and memorialize those we carry with us. Through prompts and quiet reflection, we will create space to remember and articulate what often lives just beneath the surface.

No prior writing experience is necessary. Participants will be invited (but not required) to share excerpts during the Yizkor portion of our Shavuot service.
Schedule:
6:00pm | Congregational Shavuot Dinner
6:30pm | Clergy-Led Creative Workshops
7:30pm | Shavuot Evening Service with Yizkor

Register by Monday, May 18 to participate in dinner at 6:00pm and one of our workshops beginning at 6:30pm. Each participant may register for one workshop. If you prefer, you are also welcome to arrive at 7:30pm for the start of the service.

Following worship, all are invited to stay for a traditional dairy-filled Shavuot Oneg.

Please note: We will incorporate Yizkor into this evening experience. There will be no Festival Morning Service and this evening will be our sole congregational opportunity for Yizkor on Shavuot.