A First for Reform Judaism this Shavuot
Monday, 07 June 2010
Twelve rabbis, one cantor, four synagogues, one Reform Movement and 200 people came together to celebrate Shavuot together last month.The event, the first of it's kind, was held at the Sternberg Centre in Finchley. The Tikkun Leil Shavuot included the participation of the Reform Movement and RSY-Netzer together with Alyth, Finchley Reform Synagogue, Hendon Reform Synagogue, and Sha'arei Tsedek, North London Reform Synagogue, SDRS at Whetstone.
It is traditional to take part in study and learning throughout the night of erev Shavuot. This is because the Midrash tells us that the night before the Torah was given, the Israelites went to bed early but they overslept and had to be woken by Moses, so we make up for this by staying up and learning until dawn.
In this spirit, a variety of sessions took place, all on the theme of grappling with the Ten Commandments and Revelation. The learning went on until 12.30 and continued into the night at Alyth with Rabbi Mark Goldsmith and RSY-Netzer.
Thanking the rabbis who organised the evening, Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, Executive Director of the Movement commented: "I don't have words to express how amazing the Tikkun was. The variety of people, the level of learning, the spirit in the air - it all came together and felt just a bit like I imagine Sinai did...it was a real show of strength for Reform Judaism."
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