How to Greet Someone on Shavuot

Traditional greetings for the holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah.

Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai and, along with Passover and Sukkot, is one of the three Jewish pilgrimage festivals. To greet someone on Shavuot, you can wish them a “Happy Shavuot,” but to up your game, try these other traditional greetings:

  • Gut Yontiff — Pronounced GUHT YON-tiff, this traditional Ashkenazi expression is a Yiddishized version of the greeting “Good Yom Tov” (Yom Tov, literally “good day,” is a term used to refer to the major Jewish festivals). It can be used on Shavuot or any of the major holidays.
  • Chag Sameach — Pronounced CHAHG sah-MAY-ach, this is a Hebrew expression that literally translates to “happy holiday” and is typically used for any celebratory Jewish observance, including minor holidays like Hanukkah and Purim.

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The Jewish Day of Atonement is not a sad day, and so it's appropriate to greet people warmly.

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Happy Passover is always acceptable, but here are a few traditional greetings — in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino — to try out over the holiday.

How to Greet Someone on Sukkot

Traditional ways to wish others a joyous holiday.