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September 2007
Regional News
East Bay Forgotten in the whirlwind of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a wonderful and joyous holiday – Sukkot. In the days when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, there were three pilgrimage holidays – that is to say, holidays on which Jews were commanded to journey to the Holy Temple and engage in a marvelous and extensive celebration. One of those holidays was Sukkot, the fall harvest festival. The Israelites were commanded to take a portion of their fall harvest to be sacrificed. But if you read the description of the Temple celebration in the Talmud - WOW! Where is Marty McFly (of Back to the Future fame) and his time travel machine? I want to be there when the priests are singing, the flutes are playing, the shofars blowing, and the water and wine ceremonies are splashing! Today we don’t have the Mardi Gras crowds as described by the Talmudic rabbis of the courtyard scene around the Holy Temple, but we can have our own family and friends over to build a sukkah (a hut) in our own back yard. A quick trip to your neighborhood building supply store will equip you to construct the small, temporary structure. Let the kids decorate it with the Rosh Hashanah cards you received, paper flowers, and crepe paper streamers. (Go for green and recyclable.) Then eat dinner there, pull out the sleeping bags and spend a night or just a few hours looking up at the stars and listening to the night sounds. If you want more detailed instructions on Sukkah building, child friendly decorating ideas, or Sukkot recipes, call or email me at 510-839-2900 x347 or dawn@jfed.org. Dawn Kepler
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