How does Fabrangen observe Shavuot?
Shavuot falls seven weeks after Passover at the end of the counting of the Omer (a verbal counting of each of the 49 days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot). The holiday celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai as well as the grain harvest for the summer. Traditionally, many Jews celebrate the holiday by staying up all night on Erev Shavuot to study and symbolically prepare for receiving the wisdom of the Torah. This event is called Tikkun Leil Shavuot (the Shavuot night watch).
Evening Tikkun & Morning Services
For a number of years, Fabrangen and Tifereth Israel have joined together for Tikkun Leil Shavuot. Some years other congregations join us. There are usually some study sessions, a Maariv service, and more study sessions (which may or may not last all night).
Fabrangen has a morning Shavuot service, which includes Yizkor, the special service with prayers for deceased family and friends. Fabrangen observes two days of the Shavuot Holiday, but we have our Shavuot service on the first day.