Shavuot 2025/5785

2025/5785 Shabbat & Shavuot Services & Tikkun Leil Shavuot

May 30th thru June 3rd

Join us for retreat-style Shavuot - right here at home! We have amazing activities for all ages…learning, davening, sports, food, hiking, singing, games, escape room, happy hour, tributes to our Maharat graduates, and so much more! The festivities begin on Shabbat and continue all the way through Tuesday night. Chag Sameach! 

Friday, May 30 (Erev Shabbat)
6:45pm | Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv
10:00pm | Adult Tisch! (Wolkenfeld home)

Shabbat, May 31 - Join us in celebrating the dedication and service of our three Maharat graduates, whose ongoing commitment to Torah learning and leadership continues to strengthen and inspire our community.

9:15am | Shacharit followed by tributes to and kiddush in honor of our Yeshivat Maharat Graduates
4:00pm | Adults vs Kids kickball game led by Emily Kahan  (Lowell Field)
5:30pm | MoCo women’s learning with Rabbanit Wolkenfeld 
7:50pm | Mincha
9:04pm | Maariv
9:09pm | Havdalah

Sunday, June 1 (Erev Shavuot)
8:09pm | Candlelighting*
8:15pm | Mincha, with a brief shiur (Chapel)
8:50pm | Maariv (Chapel)
9:00-10:00pm | Light Dairy Dinner in Chadar Tikvah (registration required)
9:00-9:45pm | Shavuot learning and activities for 3rd-5th Grade (Social Hall)
9:15-9:45pm | 6th-8th Grade “Ask the Rabbi” table at dinner
9:45-10:00pm | Ice cream party for youth (Social Hall)
10:00 pm-5:00am | Tikun Leil Shavuot, held at TI: Join us for an amazing night of Torah learning! For teens and adults; please join us for any part of it. Schedule is available online here, or in the Ohev lobby.

Monday, June 2 (First Day of Shavuot)
5:00am | Vatikin Minyan (Chapel)
9:15am | Shacharit with a dvar Torah by Rabbanit Sara Wolkenfeld (Sanctuary)
10:15am | Shavuot Youth groups: Breakfast followed by Shavuot activities. Pajamas encouraged!
11:45am | Kiddush featuring Pauline’s Ice Cream Bike sponsored by the Reiter family

6:40pm | Plag Mincha/Maariv**
6:56pm | Earliest Candlelighting**
9:10pm | Candlelighting**
9:30pm | Teen-Led Tisch with singing and divrei Torah (Home of Ned Lazarus and Nahanni Rous)

Tuesday, June 3 (Second Day of Shavuot & Yizkor)
9:00am | Shacharit with Megillat Rut, Yizkor, and a dvar Torah introducing Yizkor by Kate Rozansky (Sanctuary)
10:15am | Breakfast and Shavuot Youth Groups
12:00pm | BBQ Lunch! (registration required)
1:30pm | Choose your own recreation adventure: 

• Basketball Tournament led by Marshall Einhorn (Silverberg Backyard)
• Rock Creek Hike led by Devorah and Reuven Walder 
• Board Games led by Eric Brown (Chadar Tikvah)

4:30-6:30pm | Games, activities, and snacks available for young children 
4:30-5:30pm | Women's Megillat Rut layning with Divrei Torah celebrating women’s Torah leadership (Small Chapel)
5:30pm | Megillat Rut learning with Rabbanit Wolkenfeld for women with light refreshments (Chadar Tikvah)
6:30pm | Escape room activity for 3rd-6th (Social Hall)
6:30pm | Shiur by Dr. Yedida Eisenstat (Chapel)
7:30-8:15pm | Open beit midrash with refreshment (Chadar Tikvah)
8:15pm | Mincha, followed by a Shiur
9:06pm | Maariv
9:11pm | Havdalah

*Seven Full Weeks
There is a well established custom of waiting until nightfall before ushering in Shavuot to ensure the Torah's mandate that we have counted a "complete" seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot. While some wait a full 42 minutes after sunset before reciting Maariv and Kiddush on Shavuot night, it is sufficient to wait 20 minutes after sunset in order to accommodate this practice. For those for whom waiting would be onerous, one can usher in Shavuot early.

**Starting Second Day Yom Tov Early
Making the second day of Yom Tov early (at Plag HaMincha) accomplishes a number of goals. It allows us to enjoy a much earlier Yom Tov dinner with our families and young children as well as avoids possible violations of the prohibition of preparing from one day of Yom Tov for the next. If we were to wait until complete nightfall to bring in Yom Tov, no preparation for the meal would be permitted until after 9:10pm, delaying the meal until well after 9:30pm.

Thus, by following the below method, all meal preparations for the evening meal, including cooking and setting the table, can be done anytime during the 1st day of Shavuot (Monday, June 2, 2025)

• Mincha will begin at 6:40pm (before Plag HaMincha).
• This will be followed by Maariv at 6:56pm (after Plag HaMincha).
• Candles should be lit from a pre-existing flame after 6:56pm (Plag HaMincha) and before reciting Kiddush.
• The Yom Tov night meal should begin without delay shortly after Plag HaMincha (6:56pm) with the aim of beginning the main course before Shkiya (sunset, 8:28pm).
• All food prepared and warmed during the day on Monday should be tasted before Shkiya (sunset), 8:28pm.
• Yahrzeit candles should be lit after 9:10pm.

Please click here to download a PDF copy of this schedule.