Shavuote was a time when the ancient Israelites brought a part of their seasonal harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem. As Rabbi Peter Knoebbel notes, in the – Gates of the Season- ,modern Confirmation echoes the symbolism of the ancient observance of Shavuote, “Today … young people are the first fruits of each year’s harvest. They represent the hope and promise of tomorrow. During the service they reaffirm their commitment to the covenant.”
Shavuote also marks the end of the counting of the Omer, which began 49 days earlier on the second day of Passover, and matan Torah, the giving of Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Reading the Ten Commandments, as that is holiday text, reminds us of their central place in Jewish tradition and in our lives. At 16, our teens can see this connection and understanding that although bar and bat mitzvah is an important ritual at which they declare their Jewish identity, Confirmation solidifies their connection to Jewish texts and the Jewish people.
Our Confirmation service includes the reading of the Haftarah portion for Shavuote, the Book of Ruth. Widowed and devastated by the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi tells her daughters-in-law that they are not obligated to stay with her. One,Orpah, chooses to leave, but the other Ruth, famously stays with Naomi, saying “ Wherever you go , I will go, and your people shall be my people, and your God my God”. This text is often used in a conversion ceremony and exemplifies what a Jew by choice is pledging to do. Ruth chooses to remain with her mother-in-law and to develop a more meaningful connection to Naomi’s God and people. As our confirmands reaffirm their Jewish identity, the words of Ruth can inspire them to cultivate a deeper relationship to their Judaism.
Confirmation is a beautiful ceremony filled with so much promise and enthusiasm. Today we are all excited to see our empowered Confirmation students take their place in the long chain of Jewish tradition. I have said many times that in 2012 everyone is a Jew by choice because there are so many paths we can follow. I am thrilled to say that these young adults have chosen to follow the path of Judaism and be a “Light to the nations” I am confident that they will.
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