Happy Shavuot (and a Favorite Recipe!) from Howard

What do Mt. Sinai, the Book of Ruth and blintzes have in common? Shavuot! This will be a very special weekend as we welcome Shabbat and then Shavuot, which begins on Saturday evening. Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai; the Book of Ruth; and Ruth's choice to join the Jewish people and accept the Torah. It is also a time I remember my mother with much fondness. (May her memory be of blessing). She made the most extraordinary cheese blintzes!

When I thought about the People of Israel accepting the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai and the story of Ruth, who made a deliberate choice to become Jewish, I began to think more deeply about our choices today, and what it means to each of us to choose to follow a Jewish path.

Jewish life is full of choices, which is what makes it so dynamic, rich and exciting. How we choose to identify, pray or educate our children­­ - we all face these life decisions. In other words, we are all "Jews of choice," whether we were born to Jewish parents or made a decision to join our faith. I believe we must all choose to welcome and support each other as one community.

May this Shavuot help us all to appreciate the amazing gift we received at Mt. Sinai. As a community, can we find new, creative ways of helping to guide fellow Jews in making personally meaningful choices? Can those choices contribute to the continuity and growth of the Jewish people both here, in Israel and throughout the world? Can we take a few moments and remember all those blintzes of the past and relish the blintzes of the future?

While this is not my mother's exact recipe, it is close! Click and enjoy these classic cheese blintzes!

This year, Shavuot coincides with Memorial Day, a time we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. May all their memories be of blessing as we pray for a time when we no longer have the need to remember those who have fallen in war.

Shabbat Shalom. Chag Sameach.

Howard

Howard Sovronsky
President & CEO

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