Shavuot
is the most important Jewish holiday most people have never
heard of. One of the three pilgrimage festivals, it doesn't get the
attention given to Passover and Sukkot. But it does celebrate the giving
and receiving of the Torah. So where are all the songs, jokes, comedy
skits and music videos that we share on the other holidays?
They're mostly not there with a few exceptions, including one of our favorites, Mel Brooks as Moses showing us why we have only ten commandments and not fifteen.
From
all night lectures and study sessions to mountains of cheese and
cheesecake, from Jewish film screenings, decorating our homes with
greenery, reading the Book of Ruth, and yoga at dawn, Shavuot
finds incredible ways to celebrate receiving the Torah.
But are you ready to eat the four foods commonly served on Shavuot? Rabbi Paul Lewin of Australia's North Shore Synagogue explains what they are and why they are eaten on Shavuot. But why did he not include cheesecake?