In any Chabad House, Shavuos is one of the high-points of the year: Torah classes into the night, shuls draped in foliage, Aseres Hadibros, ice-cream parties, cheesecake kiddush, and experiencing the Giving of the Torah, with the entire community.
The problem with these venerable customs is that they all revolve around the shul – shuls that are now shuttered up and locked down, around the world. And so, for many Chabad regulars who ordinarily rely on the rabbi’s kiddush, or his classes, the thought of recreating a real Shavuos at home is downright daunting.
To meet this challenge, and in collaboration with a small group of Shluchim, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) has created the DIY Sinai. The Do-It-Yourself guide presents a full Shavuos experience, with all its warmth and light, only in book form. With insights and explanation into the day’s key themes, tefillos, and minhagim, along with recipes, and a Ckids chapter, the companion provides the tools anyone needs to experience Shavuos for themselves – and even by themselves.
And, to give a more personal touch to an already personalized Yom Tov, each guide is customizable, featuring the name of a given Chabad House, with local candle-lighting times on the back. At the time of publication, close to 400 Shluchim have already ordered copies of the guide for their Chabad House.
A few hundred shuls may have closed for a few weeks, but this Shavuos, thousands more are opening up in their place.
