The holiday of Shavuot, “The Feast of Weeks”, also known “Feast of the first Fruit” is one of the three Jewish pilgrimage festivals along with Passover and Sukkot. It is the completion of the seven-week counting period ‘Omer, between Passover and the revelation of the Torah on Mt. Sinai more than 3330 years ago. Every year on this holiday, the Jewish people renew their vows and honor our commitment to God and the Torah by reading the Ten Commandments.

We celebrate the holiday with simple gestures, taking walks in nature or adding a bouquet of fresh cut flowers to the table. The custom of decorating with fresh flowers reminds us of the spring harvest and the ancient ritual of bringing the first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem. The greens also remind us of the legend that when the Israelites arrived at the base of Mount Sinai, they found it blooming with flowers.

It is customary to eat dairy food on Shavuot as the holiday linked to the Exodus from Egypt into the Promised Land, as it is written ‘From the misery of Egypt to a country flowing with milk and honey…’ (Exodus 3:8-17).”

It is also traditional to read the Scroll of Ruth on Shavuot. The book is about a Moabite woman who, after her husband dies follows her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi, with the famous words “Where you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge, your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” Later, she married Boaz, and became the great-grandmother of of King David.

Chag Shamech to all 💐 חג שמח


Oceanside, California | May 14, 2023
Photography Asaf Fulks at The OC Recording Company
Canon ESO-5DS