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Shavuot Facts & Worksheets

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan.

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Shavuot is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. It falls around May or June, fifty days after the Passover. Also known as the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot commemorates the day when God gave the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.

See the fact file below for more information on the celebration Shavuot or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Shavuot worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Etymology and Origin

  • Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage feasts or Shalosh Regalim. Along with Passover and Sukkot, Shavuot requires all men of Israel to travel or go on a pilgrimage to the chosen land, Jerusalem.
  • According to Jewish biblical calculations, Shavuot is the day when Moses received the ten commandments from God at Mt. Sinai.
  • Shavuot is a Hebrew word, which means weeks. It marks the completion of the seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot festival.

Scriptural Significance and Observance

  • According to the central Rabbinic Judaism text, Talmud, Shavuot is known as Atzeret, the conclusion of the Passover season. On the other hand, Hellenistic Jews call it Pentecost, since it occurs fifty days after Passover.
  • On the first day of Shavuot, people bring the first fruits, also called Bikkurim, to the Temple in Jerusalem. The basket of Bikkurim is composed of barley, wheat, grapes, figs, pomegranate, dates and olives. In ancient Israel, the baskets for Bikkurim were made of woven gold and silver. All farmers join a procession leading the parade to the temple.
  • When the people reach the temple, a ceremony is held that retells the history of the Jewish people, from their exile in ancient Egypt until they were redeemed by God and brought to Israel.
  • Unlike many Jewish holidays, Shavuot has no prescribed Torah commandments or mitzvot. It is observed with special prayer services, meals and abstention from work.
  • Ashkenazi Jews observe many minhagim, or customs, on this day. It includes Akdamut, or reading of liturgical poem during the morning synagogue services, Chalav, or drinking of milk and other dairy products, reading of the Book of Ruth, studying the Torah all night, and Yerek, or decoration of homes and synagogues with greens.
  • In Israel, Shavuot is celebrated for a day and two days outside of Israel. Children in Israel gather in cities for impromptu water-gun and water-balloon fights. While some adults celebrate the day by taking a water hike along rivers.
  • Shavuot is the best time of the year to eat and drink dairy products in Israel because of cheaper costs. According to the Israel Dairy Board, over 834 dairy farms are open for public visitation to see thousands of milking cows.
  • “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name.
    Deuteronomy 16:9-10
  • In addition, Jewish rabbi also wave two loaves of bread baked with yeast.

Shavuot Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Shavuot across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Shavuot worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Shavuot which is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. It falls around May or June, fifty days after the Passover. Also known as the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot commemorates the day when God gave the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Shavuot Facts
  • Jewish Festivals
  • On Shavuot Day
  • The Land of Israel
  • Bikkurim
  • Jewish Terms
  • Shavuot Hunt
  • Food on Shavuot
  • The Ten Commandments
  • Shavuot Web Map
  • Around the World

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Shavuot?

The festival of Shavuot occurs seven weeks after Passover. The name Shavuot, which is the plural of the word “week”, refers to this fact.

Why is Shavuot so important?

Shavuot is a holiday when Jews celebrate the Torah. The Torah is a guide given to Jews by God. On this holiday, we remember when God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and gave him the Ten Commandments as well as other laws.

Who started Shavuot?

The tradition of evening services on Shavuot started with Rabbi Joseph Caro in the 16th century. Later, when the Kabbalah movement became popular under Rabbi Isaac Luria, these evening services were called “Tikkun Leil Shavuot.” That is still their name today.

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Link will appear as Shavuot Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 27, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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