Sukkot

We celebrate Sukkot to give thanks for the fall harvest. Meaning “booth,” a sukkah is a small outdoor hut built in our backyards, terraces, synagogues, and neighborhoods decorated with fruits and flowers. It is a place where we share our meals with family and friends. In fact, it is considered a mitzvah to enjoy this festival in the sukkah.

Torah tells us “to take the fruit of a beautiful tree” during Sukkot. The etrog is a citron, a fragrant fruit with a thick, white rind that ripens to a very bright yellow. Although bitter, it has a very strong citrus fragrance. The lulav is a combination of the date palm, willow, and myrtle held together by the woven palm branch. As we recite blessings over them, we wave the lulav in six directions (north, south, east, west, up, and down) to symbolize that God can be found everywhere.