Shavuot, along with its more-celebrated sibling festivals of Pesach and Succoth form the three biblically mandated pilgrimage festivals, each combining agricultural as well as historical motifs: Pesach celebrates the coming of spring and the exodus from Egypt; Shavuot celebrates both the first harvest (chag ha-bikkurim) as well as our ancestors' encounter with God at Sinai shortly after the liberation from Egypt, as related in the Book of Exodus; Succoth is dedicated both to the fall harvest and our ancestors' years of wandering while living in temporary, portable dwellings (succoth\ booths) in the wilderness.

In our era, Pesach--through the Seder--has become the most celebrated Jewish holiday. Succoth, with the popularity of building a succah at home, the decorated bimah in the sanctuary and its close proximity to Yom Kippur--falling just five days later--is fully recognized if not as fully observed. Shavuot is a distant third--with no strong family tradition like a Seder or a succah to anchor its observance in the home. It remains a little-noticed synagogue holiday.

Shavuot brings other, theological challenges. Shavuot commemorates the Sinai experience, our people's encounter with this mysterious, ineffable God. Shavuot is about the Ten Commandments and, beyond that, the Torah itself. Shavuot is a special time to engage in Jewish study. One tradition has us study the mishnaic tractate, Pirke Avot (The Ethics of the Fathers) in the period from Pesach to Shavuot. We at Temple Micah have made this seven-week period, known as the counting of the Omer, into an opportunity for online Jewish study through a weekly e-mail, http://www.templemicah. org/adulteducation/omer/omerproject- readings.

Shavuot asks each of us to consider what role Torah plays in our lives:

What does it mean to be part of a people whose religion is centered around a holy book? What does it mean to be part of a people whose faith insists that what is ultimately holy can be encountered in a book? What claim does Torah make on my own life? What bit of Torah do I own? What piece of Torah helps to define who I am and how I engage the world?

These are the searing questions of Shavuot.

Perhaps Shavuot can be a time to consider the wisdom and challenge behind that great statement from the Mishnah, enshrined in the Haggadah and emblazoned on the wall of our sanctuary above the bimah: "In every generation, each one of us must see ourselves as if we personally went forth from Egypt." We might view the Ten Commandments through such a prism. Only the One God--invisible, unknowable--is to be our God. We are forbidden to build monuments to deities, rulers, potentates or to ourselves. The Sabbath is time not only to rest for ourselves, but to honor the dignity of all creation. In honoring the sanctity of creation, we honor our parents as our creators who gave us the holy gift of life. The imagined memory of slavery defines us and can unlock even greater wisdom in our heritage.

This year Shavuot can serve as an inspiration for all of us at Micah to consider the challenges and demands of Jewish education. Our education task force is continuing its work to re-formulate the way we teach our children and to find ways to make Jewish learning a community-building forum for the entire congregation.

This season we are also thanking and saying "shalom" to Rabbi Manewith, who has been our teacher and friend for these past four years. We all wish her well as she leaves at the end of June for new challenges and opportunities.