Essence of Sivan Found In: Rosh Chodesh Sivan: May-June, Shavuot
This "Essence" is taken from the Sourcebook for Leaders, written
by Rabbi Rachel Gartner and Barbara Berley Melits, for Rosh
Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing! This experiential program was created
by Kolot: The Center for Jewish Women's and Gender Studies to
strengthen the Jewish identity and self-esteem of adolescent
girls through monthly celebrations of the New Moon festival. The
program is now available through Moving Traditions. Sivan is the
third month of the Jewish calendar. Sivan comes at the same time
as the secular months May/June. Tradition teaches that it was on
Rosh Hodesh Sivan that the Israelites "camped at the foot of
Sinai" in preparation to receive the Torah (Exodus 19:6). The
verb used for "camped" in Exodus 19:6 is in the singular. It is
taught that at the moment the Israelites determined to receive
the Torah, they were united in heart and mind like a single
person. Sivan's symbol of the twins – two distinct human beings
sharing one