BRIEFLY IN RELIGION

‘Voices in Wartime’ presentation

JOY Ministry (Justice Outreach and You) at Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann’s Drive, will present “Voices in Wartime” at 7 p.m. June 13.

“Voices in Wartime” uses the words of poets from around the world to reflect on the experiences of war and its effects on soldiers, civilians and entire societies.

Presenters will be John Gardiner, Laguna Beach poet, and Mark Turnbull, songwriter and storyteller. Dessert and coffee will be served. For information, contact Sally Barron at [email protected].

Ten Commandments reading Monday

Chabad Jewish Center welcomes the community to a special Shavuot Service beginning at 10:30 a.m. Monday with special holiday prayers and reading of the Ten Commandments, followed by a delicious dairy brunch and ice cream party.

Yizkor Memorial Services will take place about noon Tuesday.

Shavuot is the second of the three major festivals, Passover being the first, and Sukkot being the third, and comes exactly 50 days after Passover.

The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot during which the Jewish people prepared themselves for the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

Some customs of the Shavuot holiday include the decoration of homes and synagogues with fragrant flowers and greenery in honor of the blooms that grew on Mt. Sinai.

Another custom includes an all night Torah Study on the first night of Shavuot, and eating dairy foods such as cheesecake and cheese blintzes.

Chabad is located at 30804 S. Coast Hwy. For more information visit www.chabadoflaguna.com.