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Sukkot

Five days after the end of Yom Kippur, the festival of Sukkot begins. Sukkot is a weeklong holiday dedicated to bringing worship outside, literally, and it can be understood as our opportunity to face the world anew after the powerful experience of introspection and t’shuva (commitment to change) of the preceding days. One of the three pilgrimage festivals (sh’losh regalim), Sukkot is both a harvest festival and connects us to the time when recently freed Israelites built fragile lives and homes in the wilderness. A time for appreciating our blessings, Sukkot reminds us to pause and acknowledge the abundance of our tangible and symbolic harvests.1

  • 1. Adapted from A Guide to Jewish Practice, Volume 2—Shabbat and Holidays. The Guide may be ordered from the Reconstructionist Press.

Sukkot Resources

Building an Ark: On the Search for an Authentic Jewish Relationship to the Arts

Boettiger wrestles with the possibilities for Jewish art and creative pursuits.

Article

Mishnah Impossible

This is a hands-on, team activity for the week before Sukkot that allows students to build sukkot according to instructions given in the Mishnah.

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Fall Holiday Glossary

This file contains a helpful glossary of terms for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. It begins with a letter to parents suggesting themes to think about during the holiday season.

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