Let me start with a confession. I had not heard of the holiday of Shavuot until my Confirmation teacher told us that Shavuot was the date for our Confirmation service. Shavuot is often the forgotten of the three pilgrimage holidays. It does not have the decorative outdoor booth of Sukkot, the family-centered seder of Passover, and it falls in late Spring, when school and other activities are wrapping up for the year. But let’s not forget Shavuot this year - it has a lot to offer! (see page 4 for a schedule of Shavuot programs and services.)

Shavuot is a celebration of learning. It commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah at Mount Sinai. On Shavuot morning we hear a dramatic chanting of the Ten Commandments, standing at our seats as the Israelites stood at the base of Sinai. By recreating the moment at Sinai, we are reminded that the Torah is still relevant to us today. Celebrating learning is the focus of Shavuot beyond hearing the Ten Commandments. One tradition, Tikkun Leil Shavuot, involves staying up all night to study Torah. At Temple Israel’s Tikkun this year we will not go all night, but we will focus our studies on the symbolism of Mount Sinai for the past, present, and future.

The most well-known Shavuot tradition in our community is the Confirmation ceremony for our tenth grade students. While becoming Bar and Bat Mitzvah at age thirteen signals the beginning of Jewish adulthood, Confirmation a few years later allows students to make a more informed "commitment" to Jewish life. Our Confirmation year involves an in-depth study of Judaism’s commitment to social justice, an advocacy trip to Washington, DC, and an exploration of Jewish theologies. Students conclude the year by leading the community in worship on Shavuot morning and crafting personal statements that express how each individual confirmand views their relationship to Judaism and the Jewish community.

The act of reflecting on one’s relationship to Judaism is a task that should not end with Confirmation. In a sense, each one of us receives the Torah anew each Shavuot. And because we ourselves change and develop each year, our relationship to the Torah and its message does as well.

With this idea in mind, Temple Israel is introducing a program of Adult Confirmation. This new program combines group learning with individualized study and action goals. In addition to monthly study with a cohort of other adult learners, participants in this program will also set personal goals with the help of a clergy mentor around three areas of Jewish life: learning, worship and ritual, and community.

Our Adult Confirmation program is open to all adult learners at Temple Israel. All levels of knowledge are welcome, and knowledge of Hebrew is not a requirement for participation. We are currently forming the first cohort of Adult Confirmation students and will hold introductory meetings before the summer. If you are interested in learning more about the program or would like to sign up, please contact me at the office or over email (rabbinichols@tinr.org).

Rabbi Beth Nichols