This year KKSY celebrates the holiday of Shabu’oth from the evening of Sunday, May 16 until the night of Tuesday, May 18. Shabu’oth commemorates the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai seven weeks after the Jew’s redemption from slavery in Egypt (which the community celebrated in March by the Passover holiday). Reading of the Ten Commandments from the Torah stands at the heart of the morning synagogue service. In the afternoon service, the community recites the Azharoth, declaiming all of the 613 commandments in the Torah. The positive commandments are read on the first holiday afternoon; the negative commandments have their turn at the second afternoon service.
As with Passover and Sukkot, the holiday of Shabu’oth commemorates both a key historical milestone (in this case the giving of the Torah) and an event in the recurrent yearly agricultural cycle in Israel. Shabu’oth comes at the time Israeli farmers traditionally gathered first fruits and the later grain harvest. For this reason, many communities decorate their synagogues with flowers and plants on this holiday.
At the afternoon service, the community reads the book of Ruth whose key events takes place during the barley harvest in ancient Bethlehem. This story also emphasizes the importance of friendship, loyalty and love of Israel. Reading the Book of Ruth, which is also especially appropriate as Ruth voluntarily accepted Judaism, just like the Jewish people had done at Mount Sinai. As a community with ties to the soil, KKSY members enjoy decorating their synagogue with greenery and participating in the Shabu’oth ceremonies.
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