Shavuot means "weeks" and occurs seven weeks and one day from the second night of Passover. It is a harvest holiday marking the transition from barley to wheat. The rabbis marked the occasion as the anniversary of the Israelites receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai.  In modern times, rituals include honoring students upon their graduation from religious school, reading the Book of Ruth, decorating the synagogue with flowers and eating dairy foods. Challah is particularly special at Shavuot. 

Chai Day is a Kol Shalom holiday that occurs on the 18th day of each month. It is a day when we take time to appreciate the joy within our lives. Included in the celebration of these two holidays will be a ceremony to confer Jewish names. "What is a rite? It is something that makes one day different from all the other days, one hour from the other hours. It gives us the chance to see with our hearts, that which is invisible to our eyes." Antoine de Saint-Exupery from The Little Prince.