The Festival of Sukkot, which is a joyous holiday, begins on the 15th day Tishri, which is the fifth day after Yom Kippur, which is probably the most solemn of Jewish holidays. The festival occurs usually in October. It is such a happy celebration that in Jewish literature it is referred to as Z'man Simchateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing. It is the last of three pilgrimage holidays each year: Passover (Pesach), Shavuot, and Sukkot, which means that during these times Jews from all over Israel would travel to Jerusalem to observe these festivals. It lasts seven days. The two days after Sukkot are Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah which are often mistakenly thought to be a part of this Festival.

It has both historically and agriculturally meanings. Historically, Sukkot remembers 40 years the children of Israel wandered through the desert and lived in tents or temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering. The Feast of Tabernacles which is often used as another name for this festival can be misunderstood. The tabernacle in the Bible is a sanctuary that moved with the people where the Ark of the Covenant was kept before the Temple was built in Jerusalem.

No work is permitted on the first and second days of the holiday. Work is permitted on the remaining days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Passover.

The Hebrew word "sukkot" means booth which refers to shelters where the Jews lived in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. Families all over the world will build a sukkah, or a temporary shelter, where they spend a lot of time during the Sukkot celebration. All meals are eaten in the sukkah and if the weather is nice, families will also sleep there. The sukkah must have at least two and a half walls and large enough for an entire family to eat and sleep in. The sides are covered with material heavy enough to blow away in the wind but the roof is covered with a sekhakh which is a covering made of something from the ground, such as tree branches or corn stalks. You should be able to see the stars through the roof. The sekhakh is put on last. Families decorate the sukkah together with vegetables and things made by the children. To some, a decorated sukkah will remind Americans of Thanksgiving and some believe that the American pilgrims used this holiday to plan their first Thanksgiving.

Photo used with permission from Liz Katz

Sukkot Blessings include Four Species (arba minim) which are made of four plants: etrog, a citrus fruit similar to a lemon which is found only in Israel, a lulav, a palm branch, two arayot (willow branches), and three hadassim (myrtle branches). The branches are bound together and called the lulav since the palm branch is the larest part. The etrog is held separately. A blessing is said while the Four Species are waved to the east, the west, the north, the south, up and down, recognizing that G-d is everywhere. During a service in the synagogue called Hoshanot, the Four Species are held while walking around the bimah (where the Torah is read) which reminds the Jews of the procession made in the wilderness.  On the last day of the Sukkot, seven laps around the bimah are made.