What is Sukkot?

Dear USY,
When asked to write a D’Var for Sukkot I was forced to raise the question of “What is Sukkot?” And well, the basic premise is  it’s a festival commemorating the forty years we spent wandering in the desert. It’s celebrated by building temporary structures (sukkahs) with roofs made of branches, so that we can see the stars. We then spend the next seven days shaking the lulav and etrog, eating, and often sleeping in them.

In my family, we build a sukkah every year, and for me, this hut made out of metal and bamboo is so much more than a symbol of the holiday. To me, it means community, it means having the chance to be with my whole family, and it means the one and only time each year my dad lets me use a mallet. Building the sukkah with my dad and decorating it with my mom are among my fondest memories. We fill our little Jewish oasis with laughter, love, and food. This tradition means so much more to me because of the worlds my parents have created, eating in the sukkah each night, and filling the outdoor room with talk of the day’s school events. I remember when I was younger and we invited my Brownie troupe (mostly non-Jewish girls or girls who had never heard of Sukkot before) to come and join us in the sukkah.

That night, we opened our hut and our hearts by sharing new traditions with them. That’s what Sukkot is all about: choosing to open yourselves to others and invite them to come and join you in your traditions. Over the next week, I encourage you to open your own hut, whether it’s a metaphorical or physical sukkah. Go talk to someone new and open yourself up to all that life has to offer, so that you can fully enjoy the fruits of this festival.

Chag Sukkot sameach and I’ll see you at the next event,
Hannah Rivner
USY International Outreach VP