Sukkot Theology and Themes
The holiday of Sukkot begins on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. Known in rabbinic literature as Ha-Chag–“the holiday”–the themes of Sukkot are clearly of high importance in Jewish theology. When...
View ArticleSeven Reasons For Sukkah Sitting
The holiday of Sukkot has been blessed with many beautiful laws and customs: the recitation of Hallel, Ushpizin (welcoming our ancestors as honored guests), reading the book of Kohelet [Ecclesiastes],...
View ArticleAsk the Expert: What Can I Do With An Etrog?
Question: Every year I see the Jewish community get really excited about the crop of etrogs to be used during Sukkot. Is there any other use for this strange fruit? Does anyone else get as excited...
View ArticleCrockpot Israeli-Style Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Stuffed peppers are a comfort food for Americans and Israelis alike. But the two versions vary quite a bit in their spice profiles and methodology. American-style stuffed pepper are often topped with...
View ArticleMujaderra Stuffed Kabocha Squash Recipe
One of my favorite weeknight meals to make these days is mujaderra. Just rice and lentils cooked together and topped with a glistening pile of sautéed onions. It’s easy to see why it’s known as Middle...
View ArticleHow to Greet Someone on Sukkot
Sukkot is a joyous holiday celebrating the fall harvest. The booths (called sukkahs) that Jews build during this week-long festival are reminiscent of the booths ancient farmers used to sleep right in...
View ArticleWhat Is A Sukkah?
A sukkah is a booths or hut (the plural in Hebrew is “sukkot”) in which Jews are supposed to dwell during the week-long celebration of Sukkot. According to rabbinic tradition, these tent-like...
View ArticleHow to Wave the Lulav and Etrog on Sukkot
It is a positive commandment from the Torah [Leviticus 23:40] to gather together the Four Species during Sukkot: On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees,...
View ArticleThese 11 Instagram Photos from Around the World Will Inspire You This Sukkot
Sukkot, the holiday of eating and sometimes even sleeping in temporary dwellings, is often referred to as zman simchateinu, or “the time of our joy.” With that in mind, we scoured Instagram for the...
View ArticleWhat Happens in Synagogue on Sukkot
The central symbol of Sukkot is the eponymous sukkah, the hut in which Jews are supposed to eat and dwell during the holiday in remembrance of the wanderings of the Jews in the desert after the Exodus...
View ArticleSukkot at Home
The theological and agricultural dimensions of Sukkot converge in the symbolism of the temporary shelter, covered with cut branches, called the sukkah. According to traditional sources, the sukkah...
View ArticleLaws for Building a Sukkah
1. According to Bet Shammai, the sukkah must be large enough to contain a man’s head, most of his body, and his table (Talmud, Sukkah 2:7). 2. The walls of the sukkah may be made of any material, but...
View ArticleShemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah at Home
Although both Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are curiously bereft of special home customs, both are full festivals marked by holiday meals, special blessings, and a prohibition on work. At the...
View ArticleSukkot for Families
After the more somber holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot bursts through our doors as the Jewish holiday of unbridled happiness, z’man simhateinu (the time of our joy). Here are a few...
View ArticleWhat Is A Sukkah?
A sukkah is a temporary shelter meant to remind us of the temporary dwellings the Israelites built when they were wandering through the desert. The walls of a sukkah can be made out of almost anything,...
View ArticleMust-Know Sukkot Words and Phrases
Below are some important Hebrew words and terms you may need to know over the week of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. When is Sukkot 2019? Click here to find out. Arava — Literally...
View ArticleYour Guide to the Best Online Sukkot Classes and Events
Sukkot, the “Festival of Tabernacles,” is one of Judaism’s three central pilgrimage festivals, along with Passover and Shavuot. Sukkot is celebrated by eating meals in a sukkah, a temporary structure...
View ArticleSukkot 101
Beginning five days after Yom Kippur, Sukkot is named after the booths or huts (sukkot in Hebrew) in which Jews are supposed to dwell during this week-long celebration. According to rabbinic tradition,...
View ArticleCelebrating Sukkot without a Sukkah
The central mitzvah of Sukkot is found in Leviticus 23:42, where Jews are commanded to dwell in a sukkah, a temporary hut, for seven days and nights. We do this in order to remember the experiences of...
View ArticleHistory of Sukkot
Following on the heels of the High Holidays, the holiday of Sukkot represents a shift from somber reflection to joyous celebration, and from introspection to an outward display of thanks for the...
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