Shavuot Shabbat and Yizkor service at Congregation Beth Sholom

Congregation Beth Sholom invites the public to join them as Rabbi Allen leads a special Shavuot Shabbat service at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11. A Yizkor Memorial service will conclude the holiday morning observance.

Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah to the Jewish people. It is customary to stay up studying scripture on the night before Shavuot, as spiritual preparation to receive the Torah personally. 

On Shavuot, the Book of Ruth is read, both because of its depiction of the grain harvest and because Ruth accepted the Torah. As part of this Feast of Weeks, there is the conclusion of the counting of the omer, continued during the 49 days from Passover to Shavuot, representing the offering of First Fruits (another name for the holiday) brought to the Temple in Jerusalem at the wheat harvest. 

The Shavuot celebration will include a traditional dairy lunch. The elders of Israel feasted after receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, to celebrate the Torah’s elevation of the world by bringing spiritual energy into the physical realm. This original feast established the Jewish custom of celebrating every joyful occasion with a festive meal.

There are many more fascinating customs and traditions surrounding Shavuot. Join in on Saturday morning, May 11, to learn more and to share in the joyful celebration.

The synagogue is at 315 N. 13th St. in Leesburg, with the entrance on Center Street. For more information visit the website at BethSholomFlorida.org or call 352-326-3692.