Sukkot is the perfect holiday to celebrate presence and acceptance. Every year we build a Sukkah in our backyard with friends. Building the Sukkah prepares me for eight days of gratitude. Through the building process, we as a community come together in body and spirit. As we raise the Sukkah, our spirits are elevated, our community is one.
This year we were fortunate in having several families and friends help us build the Sukkah. We all gathered together on an unusually warm Sunday afternoon in early October beginning with a late lunch, sharing food, friendship and song.
After lunch, we began the building process laying out the materials for the three walls. Our Sukkah is made from lumber, nails, rope, burlap and corn stalks. Each person willingly takes on an important role in the design and creation of the Sukkah. This year we decided to buy 2 x 4's that were 10 feet high instead of the usual 8 feet. As you can imagine, raising each wall was an amazing sight and it took some extra time to rope and secure each 1 x 2 across the top of the Sukkah to create the slats that house the corn stalks. As I watched my friend carefully wrap the rope around each board, always maintaining the proper tension as well as remembering the design pattern, I noticed how peaceful and happy he looked.
During the 8 days of Sukkot, I met with several members of the community in celebration. Spending time in the Sukkah brought me closer to many families from my congregation as they opened their hearts and shared their lives with me. It felt sacred, and I was honored.
SUKKOT, GRATITUDE: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
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| Celebrating Sukkot with the Day School |
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| The Sukkah |
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| My husband, daughter and I in our Sukkah |
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| The vertical taspestry reads: Ufros Aleinu Sukkat Shlomecha |
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| Blessing for the Arba Minim |
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