How to Celebrate Sukkot

Since the dawn of time, people of every culture have gathered to celebrate the harvest, give thanks for the earth's bounty and prepare for winter. Sukkot (or Sukot) is the Jewish version of this universal festival. It also honors the Children of Israel who lived in temporary shelters as they wandered the desert for 40 years, waiting to receive the 10 Commandments and to enter the Promised Land.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Lulavs
• Slats
• Etrogs (citrons)
• Fruits
• Construction Paper
• Common Nails
• Hammers

1. Begin building a sukah the day after Yom Kippur, ideally outside in your backyard, or on a terrace or balcony. (The festival itself starts 4 days after the Day of Atonement.)
2. Make a simple four-sided framework of wooden strips and decorate it with paper garlands, colorful paper cutouts, swaths of cloth and hanging fruits and vegetables.
3. Lay tree branches or straw across the top to form the roof. Arrange them loosely so the moon and stars can shine through.
4. Make or buy a lulav and an etrog. A lulav is a long palm branch wrapped with branches of willow and myrtle; an etrog is a citron, a lemon-like citrus fruit.
5. Eat dinner in your sukah every night of the 8-day festival; you can also sleep in it, if you like.
6. Wave the lulav and etrog before dinner every night as you say prayers of thanksgiving.
7. Tell stories and sing songs.
8. Rejoice and be happy.

Tips & Warnings

• You can order a lulav and etrog set from your synagogue or local Jewish bookstore.
• This is a vastly simplified explanation of Sukkot. To learn more, visit your closest synagogue or refer to a comprehensive book of Jewish holidays.