Shavuot Minisite

Explore the meaning behind the holiday of Shavuot and its traditions. Find videos, recipes, insights and more.

What Is Shavuot?

Learn how to celebrate this little-known but deeply meaningful holiday. It is fun!

“Hi, I’m Shavuot, Nice to Meet You”

By Moshe Parelman
An unclear brand image and a competitive market have seen observance of the holiday marking the Giving of the Torah decline in recent centuries.

Who Needs Rules?

By Yanki Tauber
These were a people just emerging from several generations of slavery. The last thing they would want--one assumes--is a set of restrictions on their lives.

How Moses Challenged Heaven and Won

By Tzvi Freeman
The classic case, Ministering Angels v. Moses, reported in the Talmud, has been public knowledge for millennia. Here is the entire dialogue as reconstructed from some of the declassified transcripts.

Host a Shavuot Ice Cream Party

By Rita Brownstein
Plan a beautiful—and delectable—ice cream party for your friends and family.

Mexican Shavuot

By Shifra Devorah Witt and Zipporah Malka Heller
Try out some Mexican food for Shavuot: fish tacos, cheese enchiladas, Mexican rice and more.

The Shepherd's Gift to G-d

By Yitzchak Buxbaum
A hand reached out from heaven to receive the coin . . .

Saved by the Coffee Cups

Business had not been good, and Matzliach simply had no money, not only for his usual feast, but not even for the needs of his own family in the way of food and wine for the festival.

Ruth and Naomi

By Nissan Mindel
Whenever our sages want to point to a shining example of Jewish womanhood, of self-sacrificing devotion to the higher things in life, of loyalty and modesty and excellence of character, they speak of Ruth.

The Mystery of Shavuot (video)

By Moshe New
Ask any child what we celebrate on Shavuot, and the obvious answer is the giving of the Torah at Sinai; yet the Torah makes no mention of it. How do we make sense of this glaring omission?

Keeping Irrigated Through Life’s Wilderness (video)

By Chana Weisberg
When we realize the importance of our individual roles, we are empowered to tackle and transform our personal wildnerness.

How to Shavuot (video)

A short overview of the customs and meaning of the holiday of Shavuot when we celebrate the giving of the Torah.

Jew Forever

By Sarah Zadok
Even from afar, he looked a little scary. He was heavily tattooed, had a large chain swinging from his pocket, and was smoking a cigarette.

Under the Marriage Canopy

By Elana Mizrahi
We measured our words carefully and got to the point. I told my husband, “I want to grow. I’m looking for someone who wants to grow with me. Are you willing?”

To Count or Not to Count?

By Lazer Gurkow
When the secretary asked for his net worth, he proudly replied, $13,403, 374.

Bamidbar in a Nutshell

Four camps, 12 tribes, 273 surplus firstborn, 22,300 Levites, 603,550 Israelites—each of whom count. Plus how to take apart G‑d’s home, transport it across the desert and put it back together again.

The 603,550th Jew

Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Why so many numbers in the Book of Numbers?

A Timeline of the Six-Day War

A brief account of the war, with emphasis on some miraculous occurrences that characterized its battles.