Shavuot 2024/5784

Tuesday, June 11 (Erev Shavuot)

8:16 pm | Candlelighting*
8:20 pm | Mincha, with a brief shiur (Chapel)
8:50 pm | Maariv (Chapel)
9:00-10:00 pm | Light Dairy Dinner in Social Hall (free, registration requested at ohevdc.org)
9:00-9:45 pm | Shavuot learning and activities for 3rd-5th Grade (at Ohev)
9:45-10:00 pm | Ice cream party for youths
10:00 pm-5:00 am | Tikun Leil Shavuot, held this year at TI: Join us for an amazing night of Torah learning! For teens and adults; please join us for any part of it.
Full schedule click here.

Wednesday, June 12 (First Day of Shavuot)

5:00 am | Vatikin Minyan (Chapel)
9:15 am | Shacharit with a dvar Torah by Rabbanit Sara Wolkenfeld (Sanctuary)
10:15 am | Shavuot Youth groups: Joint breakfast followed by special Shavuot activities. Pajamas encouraged! Click here for details. 
11:45 am | Kiddush featuring Pauline’s Ice Cream Bike
5:00-6:00 pm | PreK-2nd learning on Ohev lawn, 3rd-6th Grade parent-child learning with Rabbi Wolkenfeld, cheesecake to follow
6:50 pm | Plag Mincha/Maariv**
7:02 pm | Earliest Candlelighting**
9:16 pm | Candlelighting**
9:30 pm | Teen-Led Tisch with singing and divrei Torah hosted by Josie Silverberg (Silverberg home)

Thursday, June 13 (Second Day of Shavuot & Yizkor)

9:00 am | Shacharit with Megillat Rut, Yizkor, and a dvar Torah introducing Yizkor by Ned Lazarus (Sanctuary)
10:15 am | Special Shavuot Youth Groups, Click here for details. 
12:00 pm | BBQ Lunch (registration required at ohevdc.org)
4:30-5:30 pm | Women's Megillat Rut layning with Divrei Torah (Small Chapel) 
4:30-5:00 pm | Shiur led by R’Wolkenfeld for 3rd-6th grade (Library)
5:45-7:00 pm Light Dinner with Cocktails (Sponsored by Elizabeth Bodine Baron) and Megillat Rut Shiur by Kate Rozansky (registration requested at ohevdc.org)
8:15 pm | Mincha, followed by a Shiur
9:12 pm | Maariv
9:17 pm | 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 9:15 PM, delaying the meal until well after 9:30 PM.

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 (Wednesday June 12, 2024).

• Mincha will begin at 6:45 PM (before Plag HaMincha).
• This will be followed by Maariv at 7:02 PM (after Plag HaMincha).
• Candles should be lit from a pre-existing flame after 7:02 PM (Plag HaMincha) and before reciting Kiddush.
• The Yom Tov night meal should begin without delay shortly after Plag HaMincha (7:02 PM) with the aim of beginning the main course before Shkiya (sunset, 8:35 PM).
• All food prepared and warmed during the day on Thursday should be tasted before Shkiya (sunset), 8:35 PM
• Yahrzeit candles should be lit after 9:15 PM.

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