Thread by @JewWhoHasItAll

#DearTeachers,
Our Christian students will be celebrating a #holiday this weekend—not Shavuot but “Pentecost,” which means “50th” in their holy language of Ancient Greek, held on the 50th day after Yom #Easter, which always falls on “Sunday,” the Christian name for Firstday.
1/29

The Pope Gregory #calendar (the #religious #calendar used by Christians) ensures that “Pentecost,” commonly referred to as Christian Shavuot, also always falls on a “Sunday” (Firstday). You can learn more about the “Gregorian” calendar at GregCal.com
2/29

Although “Pentecost” falls on the 50th day after Yom Easter, and this period is more popularly known as the Third Christian Omer (sometimes called “Eastertide”), Christians do not have a custom of counting the days between these dates, with a bracha or otherwise.
3/29

The Christian tradition is fond of counting days; their calendar includes no fewer than three counted periods, including the First Christian Omer, which they sometimes call “Advent”, and the Second Christian Omer, which they sometimes call “Lent.”
4/29

Some Mizrachi Christians refer to the entire 50-day Third Christian Omer as “Pentecost” but their Yom Pentecost is on a different day from that of the Ashkenazi Christians, since they follow a different religious calendar.
5/29

Most Christians in #MedinatAmerica are Ashkenazi.
6/29

There is no prohibition on work in this period. If a Christian student claims they cannot complete their work due to “Pentecost” or “Christian Shavuot,” it is best to ask them to bring a note from their Christian rabbi to confirm.
7/29

Christian Shavuot sometimes coincides with Shavuot, but it doesn't commemorate the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Christians don't have any custom of celebrating the giving of the Torah, though this story is also in the Christian Tanach, what they call the “Testament."
8/29

The “Testament” includes additional books written by early Christians during the Roman occupation of Medinat Israel. These books are similar in character to the books of Nach that we are all familiar with.
9/29

According to the narrative in the Christian Tanach, the Christian prophet Yeshu’s followers were celebrating Shavuot together after Yeshu’s execution by the Romans.
10/29

As they observed the #chag, there was a sound of a strong wind and flames miraculously appeared above their heads. However, the wind did not blow out the flames and the house did not burn down.
11/29

According to the narrative, the followers began speaking different languages that they could not previously speak, like Tower of Bavel. Onlookers assumed that Yeshu’s followers were drunk at 9 in the morning.
12/29

But Yeshu’s follower Shimon, who took the name Kefa (“stone” in Aramaic) and then Peter (from “rock” in the Christian holy language of Ancient Greek), proclaimed that this was a miracle that fulfilled a prophecy, and encouraged bystanders to become followers of Yeshu.
13/29

Peter later traveled to Rome, which became part of the Christian state (Vatican), and became the first “Pope” (chief Christian rabbi) of the Catholic minhag of Christianity.
14/29

Christians believe that the strong wind and flames from the story represent the Ruach Ha’Kadosh, which inspired the followers of Yeshu to promote their beliefs to others.
15/29

Christians today understand this story as the symbolic beginning of their religion, the “birthday of the church.” In this case the word “church” does not mean “Christian shul” as it usually does, but something more like “kehilla” or “Christian klal.”
16/29

Some modern Christian shuls serve a birthday cake kiddush after services on Christian Shavuot in honor of this “birthday.”
17/29

Christian shuls observe the holiday of Christian Shavuot with some special tefillot added to the liturgy of their ordinary Firstday morning shacharit services.
18/29

The Yom Tov service may include more instrumental musical accompaniment than usual, and special songs, since Christian halacha does not prohibit the use of musical instruments during Yom Tov.
19/29

Christian shuls may incorporate dramatic readings of the story into their service, including red flags as flames, waving them or drapes as wind, and reading from the Christian Tanach in various languages, representing the languages spoken by the followers of Yeshu.
20/29

Christian shuls may be decorated with fire and dove motifs (as symbols of the Ruach Ha’Kadosh). Some Christian-European cultures also incorporate elements of Pagan spring & solstice celebrations into their observances, since they fall at similar times of year.
21/29

Plants and flowers may be used to decorate Christian shuls, as a symbol of growth and new life. One may well imagine that they have also borrowed the tradition of plants and flowers from mainstream society, since floral decorations are abundant during the Shavuot season.
22/29

At the conclusion of their shacharit service, Christians may go home to eat a special seudah. In some cases Christian families may have special Christian Shavuot foods reflecting their cultural heritage.
23/29

Some Christians may prefer to eat white foods (since this day is also called “Whitsunday” in some minhagim) or red foods (in memory of the fires), but these are optional and fun customs for Christians who wish to be creative.
24/29

Of course, since at this time of year dairy foods and flowers are sold at favorable prices for Shavuot, Christians may also enjoy the dairy foods and floral decorations of the season, and enhance their own Christian Shavuot observance with these foods.
25/29

It’s trivial to scrape “Shavuot Sameach” off of one of the cheesecakes at the supermarket (or just leave it, for your celebration of Christian Shavuot!).
26/29

Another special observance at Christian Shavuot is the performance of a Christian b’nai mitzvah ceremony. This ceremony is referred to within the Christian community as “Confirmation.”
27/29

Christian Shavuot and ”Confirmation” always take place on a weekend, so students should not need to ask for any days off school.

These are not pilgrimage holidays and most students will not be traveling to family gatherings.
28/29

Thanks for all your great work.
Chag #Shavuot Sameach!
Principal Ma’ayan Ben Avraham
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