Shavuot 2026

This evening, at sunset, Shavuot begins. It is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals in Jewish tradition, celebrated seven weeks after Passover. This day holds special significance as it is believed that the Torah was given to the people of Israel on Mount Sinai – a collection of sacred commandments and teachings that form the foundation of Jewish life and faith.
According to the biblical story, God established a covenant with the Israelites on Sinai and, through Moses, gave them the Torah, accompanied by signs of thunder, lightning, and a cloud that enveloped the mountain.
In addition to its religious significance, Shavuot has an agricultural character, as it represented an opportunity for the offering of the first fruits of the harvest (bikkurim) during the time of the Temple.
It is celebrated through special customs such as all-night Torah study (tikun leil Shavuot), reading the Book of Ruth, and consuming dairy dishes. In synagogues, the Ten Commandments are traditionally read, reminding of the union between God and Israel.
Shavuot is a holiday that simultaneously celebrates knowledge, spiritual responsibility, and the continuity of Jewish tradition.