Shavuot 2023

Please register for the programs below here.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot will be held on Thursday evening, May 25. It will begin with Minhah-Ma’ariv at 8:00 PM.

At 9:00 PM, we’re delighted to welcome scholar Dr. Ellen Frankel as our special guest. Dr. Frankel is a scholar, author, librettist, and storyteller. She is the author of twelve books, including The Five Books of Miriam (1997), The Classic Tales: 4,000 Years of Jewish Lore (1993), and The JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible, winner of the National Jewish Book Award in 2009. The Deadly Scrolls is Book One in a new series, The Jerusalem Mysteries. Book 2, The Hyena Murders, was recently released. Dr. Frankel served for eighteen years as Editor-in-Chief and CEO of The Jewish Publication Society. She has written the lyrics for a number of cantatas, chamber pieces, and two operas. See details below about the topic she’ll be speaking about.

Program for Tikkun Leil Shavuot: Reclaiming the Lost Voices of Jewish Women

Drawing from her book, The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman’s Commentary on the Torah, Dr. Ellen Frankel presents this ancient text through a prism of women’s voices, including Our Mothers, Our Bubbes, the Rabbis, the Sages in Our Own Time, as well as a host of biblical women such as Lilith the Rebel, Mother Rachel, Wily Rebecca, and Dinah the Wounded One. She explores how new questions can uncover ancient secrets, how modern research and scholarship can shed new light on the past, and how today’s women can engage in conversation with their biblical counterparts. Frankel’s work is a blend of feminism, Jewish tradition, scholarship, and what she calls “Folk Torah.”

At 10:45 PM, Rav Shai will teach on Revolving Perspectives on Ruth.

People who are not AJ members are welcome to join us for the Tikkun. There will be a charge of $18 per person who is not a member.

NEW THIS YEAR! Say Cheese(cake)!
This year at Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the traditional cheesecake that is served will be baked by…AJ members! If you have a special recipe for cheesecake, please enter the Shavuot Cheesecake contest and gain the recognition your cheesecake deserves!

Rules:

• Cheesecakes must be made with Kosher ingredients.
• Cheesecakes must be prepared and baked in AJ's kitchen prior to the Tikkun. The AJ kitchen will be open from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 23 or Wednesday, May 24. Cheesecakes must be ready to be put in the refrigerator by 7:00 PM. 

The cheesecakes will be served to attendees of the Tikkun on Thursday evening, May 25. Anyone present will be able to vote for the best cheesecake! Call the synagogue office at 215.635.6611 if you want to bake!

All are welcome. The cost for non-members of AJ is $18 per person.

Shavuot morning services will begin with at 9:30 AM. Services will be followed by a luncheon and a program by Dr. Frankel. See below for details.

Program for Shavuot Luncheon: The Deadly Scrolls, by Ellen Frankel

Dr. Frankel is the author of the new mystery-thriller, The Deadly Scrolls, that has been called “a Jewish Da Vinci Code.” She has written a true page-turning suspense story, incorporating themes of religious fanaticism and the End of Days, a lost Dead Sea Scroll, and a memorable intelligence agent named Maya Rimon, all set against the backdrop of contemporary Jerusalem and the desert ruins of Qumran. The story centers around a genuine historic artifact, the “Copper Scroll,” whose many secrets still remain undeciphered by scholars and treasure hunters. She will discuss the genesis and evolution of her book, read selected passages, and answer questions.

People who are not AJ members are welcome to join us for services and lunch at no charge.