Shavuot
This website is all about celebrating Torah, and there is no holiday more focused on Torah than Shavuot, when we celebrate receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai. So, with that in mind, this week I am interrupting our regularly scheduled programming to bring you some Shavuot themed activities and recipes to do with your kids. (I’m also sending this out a few days early, in advance of the holiday.)
When I was younger, I loved going to a tikkun, on Shavuot, staying up all night studying Torah or going to classes. Yes, I am a giant nerd, and yes, this was my idea of a good time.
Fast forward to life with two young children, and my idea of a good time involves being in bed by 10pm. But that doesn’t mean there is not still a lot of Torah fun to be had! If you get any time to yourself as an adult this holiday, try taking even 15 minutes to learn something new about Judaism that excites or inspires you. I have been reading Judaism is About Love by Shai Held, and while it is a huge book, it has really been speaking to me. I highly recommend it.
For Shavuot fun with kids, consider the following:
Share with them that there are two stories about what it was like when God gave the Torah. The Torah itself says that it was very loud: there was smoke, and the mountain trembled, and God spoke with a voice like thunder (Ex. 19:19-20)! But the midrash also says that when God spoke, everything was completely silent. Not even an animal made a sound (Shemot Rabbah 2). Try practicing being loud together - making your favorite animal noises, or stomp and dance around - and then being very quiet. Is it easier to listen when it goes from loud to quiet?
Read The Littlest Mountain, a story that tells us all about why Mt Sinai got picked for the special honor of being the place where the Torah was given.
Make a harvest collage! In addition to being about Torah, Shavuot is also a harvest festival. Collect flowers or leaves, cut out images from a magazine to glue, or just use stickers or your own imagination to make art celebrating the harvest and this time of year.
And, of course, last but not least, make delicious edible Torah scrolls for a special Shavuot treat!
Edible Torah Scrolls
From Busy in Brooklyn
Shavuot is one of the few dairy holidays, where we specifically celebrate dairy treats. It is common to make cheesecake and blintzes, or even just to enjoy some ice cream! For this easy Shavuot treat, make your own edible Torah scrolls using cannoli wrappers. While you can use a standard cannoli filling, I kept things easy here with store-bought whipped cream, since those little nozzles make it extra easy to get the filling inside the shell. Let your kids decorate with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or whatever seems fun to you, and enjoy this sweet, easy dairy treat that also celebrates the Torah.
Ingredients
Cannoli shells (I got these)
Marshmallow fluff (this will act as your glue)
Whipped cream or homemade cannoli filling (Busy in Brooklyn, who came up with this genius idea, has a recipe for the filling at the link above; pudding or mousse would probably work too)
Sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or whatever your prefer for decoration
Instructions
Take two cannolis. Spread a thin layer of marshmallow fluff on the side of one of them, and then stick the other one to it. The fluff will act as a glue.
Fill the two cannolis with whipped cream or the filling of your choosing.
Sprinkle on sprinkles, chocolate chips, or whatever toppings you like.
Eat and enjoy!
Note: if you use a standard cannoli filling, these might be a bit more durable, but if using whipped cream or pudding, eat right away or they will likely get soggy. We didn’t have any problem devouring these quickly.