Shavuot—also known as the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost—is a Jewish holiday celebrating the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah (the first five books of the Bible).
Every year for over 3,300 years, God’s people have a celebration to mark the anniversary of the day they received the holy Torah and Ten Commandments. Shavuot reminds God’s people to be thankful for God’s word and to delight in it.
The night before Shavuot it is custom to stay up late studying the Torah. On the day of Shavuot families go to synagogues to hear a reading of the Ten Commandments. They eat dairy foods, like cheesecake. They decorate synagogues and classrooms with flowers and plants. They read the story of Ruth and a poem called Akdamut.
This year (2011) Shavuot starts at sundown, Tuesday, June 7th, and lasts for two days, ending at sundown on June 9th.
Be sure to check out our Shavuot For Kids Section of the website. We have coloring pages, lessons, videos, activities, and more. Even adults have told us they read the For Kids lessons to educate themselves on all the Jewish holidays.