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By Ariel Platt, Director of J Life
Sukkot is one of the most joyful and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It is a holiday filled with family, friends, and meaningful traditions. There are so many ways to embrace the fall and infuse the joy of Sukkot into your home. Here are three activities you can try with your family and friends that will open the door to exploring and connecting with three core holiday traditions in new ways.
- Mini Sukkah Building Challenge – Who doesn’t like a little friendly competition! Building a Sukkah (a temporary dwelling) is one of the central rituals of Sukkot. In fact, most of the holiday is centered around the Sukkah itself. A great way to learn about the Sukkah is to build one. Using the specific rules about the Sukkah as a guide, challenge your family and friends to make their own mini Sukkah with any materials you want. They could be edible, you could use popsicle sticks, find materials in nature, or even create blanket forts.
- Lulav and Etrog Dance – Shaking the lulav (bouquet of palm, myrtle, and willow branches) and the etrog (citrus fruit similar to a lemon) is another key ritual of Sukkot. In fact it is a mitzvah (commandment). The way to shake the lulav and etrog already looks like a rain dance in itself, so why not get even more creative and choreograph your own dance using our tradition as inspiration. When shaking the lulav and etrog, start by shaking them three times in the front, then three times to the right, three times behind your right shoulder, three times to the left, three times up, and three times down.
- Handmade Invitations – An important value surrounding Sukkot is to welcome guests into your Sukkah. Whether you have a Sukkah or not, make handmade invitations, inviting your family and friends to your home to celebrate the joy of the holiday together. It is the perfect opportunity to bring the people you care about together.
No matter how you decide to celebrate Sukkot this year, there are many ways to bring the joy of the holiday into your life. May your Sukkot be filled with family, friends, old and new traditions, and lots of joy!
Join us for Harvest Fest: Shake it in the Sukkah on Wednesday, October 4, 5:00pm. Learn more and get tickets >
