Shavouth/Shavous is one of Judaism’s most important holidays. It is one of the three pilgrimage holidays (the others are Succot and Passover) for which Jews once traveled to Jerusalem and the Temple to bring offerings. Historically, Shavouth commemorates the day when God gave the Torah to the Children of Israel at Mt. Sinai and religiously marks the end of the Counting of the Omer. One of the most widely-observed customs of Shavouth involves staying up throughout the night to study Torah. This tradition was instituted by the ARI, Rabbi Isaac Luria, when he lived in Tzfat in the 16th century.
There are additionally a wide range of English classes on Shavouth night throughout Tzfat neighborhoods. Local accommodations are available throughout the city, including the Old Jewish Quarter, the Artist Quarter, and the newer Tzfat neighborhoods.
Image attribution: Heritage conservation picture Project – Safed Pikiwiki Israel, CC BY 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons
