The Reform movement introduced Confirmation. The Ceremony of Confirmation became a special ceremony for both boys and girls. It was introduced to North America in 1847 in New York’s Congregation Emanuel after being first instituted in Germany in 1810. Many conservative congregations have adopted Confirmation.
They hold their Confirmation on Shavuot because just as our ancestors stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, so is Confirmation a time when Jews prepare to confirm their membership in the Jewish people. Some Jews confirm their loyalty to Judaism in ninth or tenth grade.
The Book of Ruth
There are three reasons why the Book of Ruth is read in the Temples on Shavuot:
1. The story of Ruth and Boaz takes place in the spring, at harvest time, that is when Shavuot falls.
2. Ruth was the ancestor of King David, and according to the Talmud. it mentions that David was born and died on Shavuot.
3. Since Ruth expressed her loyalty to the Torah by converting to Judaism, it is appropriate to read the story of her life on Shavuot, the holiday of the Torah.
Ten Commandments
On the sixth day of Sivan, we were given the Ten Commandments:
I am the Lord your G-d who brought you out of slavery from the land of Egypt.
You shall have no other gods but me.
You shall not take the name of your lord in vain.
You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
Honor your father and mother.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.
