On the 29th of May the elders of our community in Shymkent city congregated at the Hesed. The Shavuot celebration began with a story about giving the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Bella Atran talked about the commemoration of this holiday in Israel.

Traditions expert and Hesed volunteer Yevgenia Gulyaykina gave explanation regarding the connections between Pesach and Shavuot. The seven-week period, beginning on the second day of Pesach and immediately followed by Shavuot, connects these two holidays. On Pesach, the spring agricultural cycle begins in Israel; and it ends with the harvesting of the wheat on Shavuot. On Pesach, the Jewish people were freed from their enslavement; and on Shavuot the Ten Commandments transformed the former slaves into free people.

During the Shavuot holiday Jews eat dairy food. Yevgenia Gulyaykina prepared milk dishes and offered them to all the guests. Of course, a Jewish holiday cannot be celebrated without songs. Alexander Korotkov invited everyone to take part in a music marathon. The festival turned out to be cheerful and bright.

Bella Atran