Mijal and Noam explore why Shavuot often feels like the “forgotten” Jewish holiday. Is it just about cheesecake, or is there a deeper reason it remains overlooked? They dive into the biblical origins of Shavuot, its transformation from an agricultural celebration to the festival of receiving the Torah, and the profound (and countercultural) themes of divine commandment and covenant. Whether you’ve celebrated Shavuot for decades or are learning about it for the first time, this episode invites you to reframe the holiday as a powerful moment of sacred obligation and spiritual awakening.

Here are the links to the books and podcasts discussed in the episode:

⁠Believe: Why Everyone Should be Religious ⁠ by Ross Ross Douthat

Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity by Abraham Joshua Heschel

Ruth Ch 3 - At the Threshing Floor Alex Israel, The Tanakh Podcast

Reading Ruth by Leon Kass

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Get in touch at our new email address: [email protected] and call us, 1-833-WON-Jews.

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This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠