Woohoo, it’s Shavuot!

Shavuot is hands down my favorite Jewish holiday because we are mandated to eat dairy foods, stay up all night learning and share festive family time. These three customs are activities that fit in perfectly with my preferences. Even better is celebrating this year with a three day holiday--Shabbat and Yom Tov together. Some people find that a hardship, but I say “in for a penny in for a pound.” Having Shavuot overlap with Memorial Day weekend is a further blessing. Let the eating, drinking, beaching and celebrating all begin!

Here’s my plan to take full advantage of this fortuitous alignment of the dates. I will cook up every one of our favorite dairy and vegetarian dishes, freezing some of them and making some fresh on erev chag, the holiday eve. I’ve invited some guests and accepted some invitations, one activity per day, giving our family some quiet, meditative time to digest and to contemplate and absorb the meaning of the festival.

So first of all, our boys will come home for Shabbat and Shavuot, making us a five-family again if only for the long weekend. We can catch up on each other’s happenings and I can shep nachas from my kids in person, the best feeling in the world.

I plan to nap on Shabbat afternoon in order to be alert on Saturday evening for the all-nighter (I usually last until about 2 a.m., but who’s counting). Though I enjoy being in shul to hear my beloved Rabbi’s speeches and, of course, to socialize with my friends, I have to admit that I’m not a regular shul-goer. I justify my absences with the lame excuse of the mile long walk from home and a less pathetic one when I often have guests for lunch. Somehow though, the idea of walking a mile back and forth in the middle of the night with my husband and kids really appeals to me.

Mostly men and teens of both genders show up to the all night shiurim line-up. Some come for the food, which includes a carnivore’s delight of BBQ (I really don’t understand that on the dairy holiday), a tray of sushi, desserts, etc…. This year this will come after the three Sabbath meals, so I don’t know how anyone will really be coming to eat, but there you have it. Some come to schmooze and hang out. Most actually come to listen and learn something from the 45-60 minute talks given by an assortment of our rabbis and peers on various interesting topics headlined with intriguing titles.

I remember years ago we observed two of our shul’s young rabbinic interns, Rabbi Joseph and Rabbi Skydell, face off about issues concerning homosexuality in Orthodox Judaism, each intelligently defending his points in the debate. Another year we leaned about Kabbalah from Danny Hiller who explains concepts so lucidly. We met Rabbi Sarna, Rabbi of New York University’s Bronfman Center and NYU University Chaplain, a very warm rabbi who spoke about what the artist students bring to the Jewish community at NYU. I was thrilled because my son would soon be attending that university as a studio art major and I had the opportunity to ask the rabbi some concerned-mom questions. We heard Rabbi Rothstein give a brilliant discourse on Shavuot night, just before he became Rosh Kollel of YU’s community kollel which was based at HAFTR HS. This year our close friend, Dr. Stuart Weinerman will discuss “Where was the Talmud Bavli written? Hint: not Babylon” during the wee hours and I hope to stay awake for it!

The next day, bleary eyed but feeling a little enlightened from the evening’s activity, we’ll make our way to another festive meal. Then, if the weather cooperates, we’ll take a postprandial trek over the bridge to the beach club to initiate the rites of summer. The long walk will aid digestion and bring me joy since I look forward to beach season for nine months of the year. Atlantic Beach is three miles from my door and well worth the effort for superb sun, sky, sea and sand. The boardwalk benches are awaiting me and I’m dreaming of dipping my toes in the still frigid surf. I like to find a spot away from the crowds and take in the sounds of the sea. The beach is one of the only places I can simply sit and be. And on the holiday, bereft of my ever present cell phone, I may even experience bliss!

As far as I know, Shavuot is the only holiday for which we count the days. We countdown until a birthday, anniversary or a vacation and anxiously wait all winter for the arrival of spring. This year as the end of the omer countdown coincides with the unofficial beginning of summer we have even more reasons than usual to rejoice.

While I relax on the sand, I can close my eyes and rest, reflect upon the previous night’s teachings, meditate on the natural beauty of our surroundings, think about the delicious food I enjoyed, gaze at my husband and kids faces, and I will be deeply grateful for it all.

Miriam Bradman Abrahams is Cuban born, Brooklyn bred and lives in Woodmere. She organizes author events for Hadassah, reviews books for Jewish Book World and is very slowly writing her father’s immigration story. She is teaching yoga at Peaceful Presence Yoga Studio. mabraha1@optonline.net