Holiday Celebrations

Shavuot (literally “Weeks”) marks the conclusion of the seven week period of counting that begins on the second night of Passover. The two-day holiday is also called Z'man Matan Torateinu, the Season When Our Torah Was Given, as it marks the time when Moses received the commandments at Sinai. Shavuot is also an agricultural holiday, marking the beginning of the summer season. It is traditional on the first night of Shavuot to stay up all night studying Torah, almost as a reenactment of the preparations at Sinai. Liturgical additions include the reading of the Book of Ruth on the recitation of Yizkor memorial prayers on the second day of the festival.

At B’nai Israel, our annual Tikkun Leyl Shavuot (Evening of Study) is often accompanied by a festival dinner with traditional dairy foods. Members of the congregation lead study sessions on various topics and the evening is dedicated to the memories of Rabbi Henry and Yetta Segal. On Shavuot, our congregation also celebrates Confirmation, which recognizes the commitment of our tenth-graders to ongoing Jewish study in the Talmud Torah Upper School.

Shavuot programs

Congregational Shavuot Dinner and Celebration of Learning
Sunday, June 1
6:30 PM
Shavuot is the celebration of revelation, Torah, and dairy! Join us for a delicious dairy meal as we kick off our Shavuot celebrations. We will honor our teens who have participated in learning throughout the year as we usher in the celebration of Shavuot. All are invited to stay after dinner for festival services and the Tikkun Leyl Shavuot. For more information and to register, click here. This program is generously supported by the Freeman-Burstyn Family Fund.

Tikkun Leyl Shavuot
Sunday, June 1
8:30 PM

The evening service transitions into our Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, an annual celebration of Shavuot. This evening of study and learning is dedicated in memory of Yetta and Rabbi Henry Segal. We will begin with a brief dedicatory introduction, followed by our formal program.
 
Opening Panel Discussion - Israel: Hopes, Dreams, and Opportunities
8:30–9:30 PM
Despite the challenges that Israel has faced these past few years, the country and its people are incredibly resilient—modeling hope, continuously dreaming, and seeking new opportunities. Join us for a panel discussion, facilitated by Eric Luftman, Adult Education Committee Chair, in which we will focus on the ways in which Israel continues to hope and dream for a better future. Panelists include Nir Buchler, Natan Gorod, and Andrea Lee-Zucker. 

Nir Buchler was born and raised in Paris, France. At the age of 19, Nir and his family immigrated to the United States. Nir earned degrees from Baruch College and masters degrees from Brandeis University. He has worked at the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey and at the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. Today, Nir lives in Silver Spring, MD and he is the Senior Representative of The Jewish Agency for the Southeast. He is the father of three children, and his wife, Miryam, teaches Hebrew at the Sela Public Charter School.

Natan Gorod is the Assistant Director of American Jewish Committee (AJC) Middle East. Natan engages with diplomats and civil society leaders from across the Middle East. Through AJC's Center for a New Middle East, he helps lead various AJC initiatives aimed at developing people-to-people relations, as well as projects that focus on promoting the Abraham Accords and wider regional integration. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Natan graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in Near Eastern studies.

Andrea Lee-Zucker is a board member of IsraAID US, an interdisciplinary artist, experience designer, integrative coach, and social entrepreneur. She is dedicated to creating spaces for healing, creativity, and community transformation—both locally and globally. Andrea co-founded Antigravity Ventures, investing in leaders and technologies to improve lives in scalable, inclusive ways. Andrea is a proud mother of three, partner to a tech futurist, and a grateful inheritor of the values and wisdom passed down through her Jewish family lineage.

Teen Conversations and Ice Cream Sundae Party
8:30-9:45 PM

Canceled in the Talmud?
What Happens When God Stops Weighing In
with Rabbi Cheryl Stone
What do you do when there’s no heavenly voice to settle the argument—and people mess up, big time? In this session, we’ll explore ancient Talmudic debates that feel surprisingly modern: public call-outs, second chances, and the struggle to judge with both justice and compassion. Together we’ll ask: Without God’s voice booming from the sky, how do we decide what’s right?
 
Shavuot: Unpacking Our World
The Seven Species & How We See Each Other
with Lily Pollack
What can figs, wheat, and pomegranates teach us about forgiveness, growth, and community? In this interactive session, we’ll explore the Seven Species of the Land of Israel as symbols to help us see one another with more compassion and clarity—especially when mistakes are made. A fresh take on Shavuot that blends tradition, empathy, and insight.
 
Ice Cream Sundae Party!

Cheesecake Break 
9:30–9:45 PM
No Shavuot would be complete without a little dairy! Enjoy a cheesecake break before we continue our later learning sessions. 
 
Ki MiTzion Teitzei Torah – Torah Shall Come from Zion
Congregational Learning Session with Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz
9:45–11:00 PM
Judaism emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning. We begin with the sweetness of Torah as children, and then we aspire to unravel the mysteries of our tradition as adults. In this session, we will explore how we are not only the receivers or the vessels of this sacred tradition, but how we are obligated to also become the teachers of Torah and ambassadors of Judaism. How can each of us not only live a life informed by our Judaism, but how can we also share those insights and perspectives with the world beyond our synagogues and homes? 

Click here to register. 

Shavuot services

Sunday, June 1
8:00 PM Minha and Ma'ariv
8:30 PM Tikkun Leyl Shavuot

Monday, June 2
9:00 AM Festival Service
10:30 AM Youth Service (all ages are welcome)
8:00 PM Minha and Ma'ariv 

Tuesday, June 3
9:00 AM Festival Service with Yizkor at approximately 10:45 AM 
10:45 AM Tots-6th Grade meet near the security desk to walk together to visit our friends at the Cohen-Rosen House
8:15 PM Minha and Ma'ariv
The festival ends at 9:03 PM