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Sukkot
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Sukkot commemorates the 40 years that the Jews spent in the desert after escaping from slavery in
Egypt, on their way to the Promised Land.
Sukkot is one of the three Pilgrim Festivals (together with Pesach and Shavuot).
This festival is linked to Jewish history, the exodus from Egypt, and also to the agricultural
cycle which is an important part of life in Israel.
Sukkot means 'booths' or 'huts' (plural sukkot, singular sukkah).
Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths.
"You shall dwell in sukkot seven days...in order that future generations may know that I made
the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I am the Lord
your God." (Leviticus 23:42)
We build sukkot to remind us of the temporary shelters used by the Israelites when they
travelled through the desert. They are also a reminder of the world's continuing frailty and
reliance upon God for our survival.
The walls and the roof of the sukkah are covered in leaves and branches, to provide shade,
but must not be not too dense. It must be possible to see the sky through the roof.
The sukkah is decorated with seasonal fruits.
Kiddish is said in the Sukkah, and some Jews eat their meals in the Sukkah or
even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven day festival.
There is a commandment in the Bible to use four species of plant - the etrog
(a citrus fruit), a palm branch (lulav), two branches of willow and three myrtle twigs.
There are different interpretations of these four species. The lulav, willow and myrtle are joined
together and may symbolise the different types of people in the world bound by their common humanity,
relying on each other and working together.
During the service, each member of the congregation takes the etrog and lulav and
waves them in six directions, symbolising the fact that God is everywhere.
At NWSS we build a Sukkah in the synagogue gardens and the children
decorate the Sukkah with fruits and vegetables. (Watch out for the low hanging melons!) We also hold
a chavurah supper (shared meal) where everyone brings veggie food to share and
our imaginative festival team organises a fun programme for us.
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Festival dates
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