Barukh atah Ad-nai, noteyn haTorah – “Blessed is God, Giver of Torah”. In the Torah blessing we recite over the Torah before it is read, we repeat these words in the present tense.

Torah, our tradition tells us, is always being given – always being taught. We are never finished with it. Rather like the other most fundamental relationships in our lives, those with parents, children, and life partners, we are in relationship with God, the Jewish people, and the Torah in a way which is both taken for granted and always in need of renewal.

Every Shavuot our people is offered the chance to once again accept the gift of Torah. At Shir Tikvah we read the Aseret haDibrot, the Ten Utterances, at our erev Shavuot tefilah and then share a light dairy meal in honor of the curious tradition that Shavuot is a dairy holiday (It will be mostly finger food, although Charlie will bring ice cream!). Dust off your blintz recipe – or discover a new one! – and join us.