Counting the Omer

Starting on the second night of Pesach, we begin a beautiful and ancient tradition — counting the Omer. Each evening, as the sun sets, we take a moment to pause, reflect, and count our way towards Shavuot. It’s like a gentle rhythm carrying us from the story of our liberation to the giving of the Torah.

To make it easy and meaningful, we’ve put together a helpful leaflet with the full calendar, blessings, and nightly numbers — ready to guide you through each step of the journey. You can pick up a copy in the Shul or download it below.

Whether you’ve counted before or this is your first time, give it a try. There’s something quietly powerful in marking each day — a small act of connection that adds up to something much greater.

Counting the Days Between Freedom and Purpose
By Rabbi Adrian M. Schell

Chag Sameach.

The Jewish calendar is finely tuned to time. It doesn’t just track dates; it listens to the world — the moon’s quiet pull, the sun’s shifting light, the slow drift of seasons. But woven into this careful choreography is something even more grounded: Shabbat. It doesn’t budge. Whether Friday feels like a blur or a blessing, whether it’s mid-July or deepest winter, Shabbat arrives. Always.

I felt that most keenly during lockdown. When days lost their names and time went soft around the edges, Shabbat held firm. It reminded me that not all time is the same — some moments are sacred, carved out for rest, for renewal, for simply being.

There’s another rhythm in our tradition that feels different but just as meaningful — the Counting of the Omer. It begins on the second night of Pesach and carries us across 49 days, all the way to the doorstep of Shavuot. Each evening, just after sunset, we count the day. Out loud. With intention. With a blessing.

Some use a calendar. Others an app. A few join WhatsApp groups for reminders. We’ve made it simple for you too — there’s a counting sheet on our website and in the shul. You are welcome to use it, or just let the rhythm catch you gently.

Now, an omer was once a sheaf of grain — a biblical measure linked to offerings at the Temple. It was, at first, a farmer’s count: from the first spring barley to the wheat harvest that marked Shavuot. But as the festival evolved into a celebration of receiving Torah, the rabbis gave the count a deeper meaning. They didn’t want us to rush from Pesach’s freedom to Shavuot’s purpose. They asked us to walk.

And that’s where it becomes personal.

I’ve come to cherish this stretch of days — not just as a ritual, but as a spiritual practice. The Omer marks a path: from escape to encounter, from liberation to obligation. We count our steps between Egypt and Sinai. Between release and revelation.

Because freedom alone is not the goal. It’s what we do with our freedom that matters. How we protect it. How we extend it to others. How we shape it into something lasting and just.

Every year, we’re asked to walk that path again. To build freedom into something durable. Something good.

So as we count the Omer this year, may we also count our blessings. May we pray for those who still wait to be free — especially the hostages in Gaza. May their suffering end swiftly, and may a true peace take root, not just for Israel, but for all who dwell in that land.

And may each of us, in our own way, journey from strength to strength — towards a life of purpose, and a community that carries that purpose together.

Rabbi Adrian M. Schell