Sukkot is an eight-day holiday that celebrates the journey of the Jewish people as they escaped Egypt and persisted through the desert. It is also the first Jewish holiday after Yom Kippur, marking the start of a new year, allowing you to be cleansed from your sins and simply enjoy the ambience of the holiday.

Appreciating the hardships of our ancestors is important, but Sukkot is fun. You get to hang out and bond with your loved ones in a cute little hut. Growing up, sitting under a Sukkah, and shaking fruit and branches seemed silly, but the older I got, the more I understood the valuable aspects of Sukkot. The objects being shaken aren’t random; they are the four species used to bless the Sukkah: the little fruit is an Etrog, and its sweet smell symbolizes the sweet presence of G-d, the branch is a lulav, which is a mixture of 3 different branches: palm, willow, and myrtle branches.  

 Being emotionally present under a decorated Sukkah with a semi-open roof while eating dinner with your family will allow you to recognize the fragility of the homes of the Jewish people after escaping Egypt and the importance of trusting G-d.  

This week’s parsha focuses on Sukkot, the festival of joy and gratitude. It reminds us to dwell in sukkot to remember how G-d protected the Israelites in the desert and to appreciate faith, community, and divine shelter. Things may seem physically unstable, but Sukkot shows us why we should not fear that; your loved ones are always by your side to persist through struggles together.  

Shabbat Shalom,

Sophie Schneider

Mountain Region