RABBI SARA BLUMENTHAL A Tikkun Leil Shavuot to remember

The first Tikkun Leil Shavuot I remember attending was in my preteen years. It was not at my synagogue but at my brother’s friend’s parents’ house. The people at the tikkun came from different corners of the community; some of them I knew from Schechter, Northwestern Hillel, and my synagogue, but gathering together, learning and discussing Jewish issues late into the night, over cheesecake, was like entering a new world. A world I felt privileged to be welcomed into as a young person learning Torah alongside some of the brightest adults I’ve known.

More than any specific Torah lesson from that night, what I remember most was the magical quality of the tikkun Shifting the place of gathering from a synagogue to a home, being included in high-level conversations about topics that interested me, and getting to spend time with my friend, who attended a different Shabbat minyan, all contributed to that warm feeling I still associate with Shavuot.

Since that memorable tikkun, I have spent Shavuot in the Old City in Jerusalem and walked to the Kotel at dawn to take part in the pilgrimage as our ancestors once did I have taught at One Jewish Evanston, the community-wide tikkun held at my childhood synagogue that drew participants from all across the Evanston Jewish community. Then there was the time during the pandemic, in 2021, when members of the Cambridge-Somerville community I was a part of stayed up all night learning in a neighborhood park then davened a rousing Shacharit when the sun rose So rich was the learning and so surreal the experience that I never went home to sleep even though I lived only a three-minute walk away.

Each one of my Tikkun Leil Shavuot experiences has been special and has had that magical quality in its own way. This year’s my first at CAI was no exception Although we did not stay up all night (there’s always next year!), it was magical to witness so many lay leaders facilitating engaging, thoughtful sessions that gave their own spin on the theme “Torat Emet: How can Torah guide us toward the path of truth?” I was filled with naches as I bounced from session to session to snatch tidbits of the rich conversations taking place.

I hope those conversations did not stop that night but rather are continuing to fill our hallways and homes as we contemplate some of the most important issues of our time through

Thank you to our insightful teachers who helped us all engage in the sacred act of Torah study on the night before receiving the Torah once again. Before we study Torah, it is customary to recite the blessing that ends with “la’asok b’divrei Torah.” I love that the Hebrew word for “to engage with” also sounds like “to soak in” the words of Torah Summer is a time for soaking up the rays and in the waves, two of my favorite things As we ease into the slow, lazy days of summer, may we also take some time to soak in and engage with our wise, always renewing Jewish tradition and its many paths toward truth.

Some kids, along with their parents and Grandfriends, are gathered around the beautiful quilt that they created together, remembering how much fun it was to work on the project

Others are seated at tables, deeply engaged in conversation, and some are admiring the colorful artwork displayed throughout the room. Time and time again, my heart overflows with joy as I watch the kids delightedly visiting with their Grandfriends, and I realize that one of the guiding principles of this year strengthening our connections is coming to life right in front of my eyes. The smiles of the children toward their Grandfriends are a powerful expression of trust, respect, and admiration. They reflect the natural tendency of the young to recognize the wisdom, experience, and kindness that come with age, and to respond with warmth and affection The intergenerational connection we foster through this program is magical

As I complete my first year at CAI, I realize that our community is a very special place, where I have witnessed many moments of connection and growth. Listening to a particularly meaningful sermon, observing children growing and learning in our ECC and religious school, participating in lively conversation during kiddush, being inspired by a eulogy at a funeral, or hearing the jokes and laughter of our committee members cooking together for various events all these moments make up the magic of CAI.