On the evening of Sunday, October 13th begins the joyous, eight-day holiday of Sukkot, celebrating the bounty of the fall harvest. Its traditions are filled with symbolism, including shaking a lulav and etrog (symbols of the harvest), eating foods stuffed with even more foods (a symbol of plenty) and building a sukkah, a temporary hut in which we gather for meals. The sukkah symbolizes the Israelites’ dwellings during our 40 years in the wilderness: the fragile homes of a people constantly on the move.
When you visit a sukkah to feast and sing, you also plug yourself into our roots as a wandering people, at the mercy of nature, dependent upon one another for survival. Gathering in the sukkah becomes a powerful reminder of the fragility of the very notion of a physical “home”— that indeed, home is wherever you’re surrounded by love and care.
In this spirit of celebrating both nature and community on Sukkot, the Jewish Federation created this exclusive storybook for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Download the e-book by clicking here.
Chag sameach!