Standing Together: A Social Justice Guide for Shavuot

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Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. On Shavuot, we remember the moment when we stood in the Presence of the Eternal One as we received the Torah and became a people, bound together by a sacred covenant. The period of the Omer, the forty-nine day bridge between Passover and Shavuot, and the evening of Shavuot itself, are traditionally times of preparation for this moment of re-living revelation. Hence the entire season of Shavuot encourages us to re-engage with Torah.

This guide will focus on four issues connected with Shavuot: economic justice, the environment, world Jewry and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) issues and advocacy. Each of these topics is covered in a thematic section. Sections begin with an explanation about the connection between the social justice theme and Shavuot and the Omer. After the general introduction, families, social action chairs, confirmation classes, youth group leaders and other synagogue groups will find programs, projects and study topics that connect Shavuot and the Omer with these themes.

For information on how to count the Omer, organize a Tikkun Leil Shavuot or celebrate Shavuot, visit the holiday website of the URJ Department of Religious Living: www.urj.org/holidays.