Sukkot begins at sunset on September 30th, 2012 and continues through the evening of October 7th, 2012. For some Reform communities Sukkot ends on the evening of October 6th. Immediately following the conclusion of Sukkot Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah begin.
What is Sukkot?
Sukkot is known as the ‘Festival of Tabernacles’ or ‘The Feast of Booths,’ because during this holiday Jews are commanded to build a booth or a hut called a sukkah. To learn the rules of building a Sukkah click here. Sukkot is one of the shalosh regalim, the Pilgrimage Festivals.
What are Some Sukkot Customs and Practices?
Along with building a sukkah, other Sukkot traditions include the daily shaking of the lulav and etrog. To learn how to buy a set click here.
It is customary to invite men and women from the Bible to join us in our sukkot. This invitation is called ushpizin.
In the times of the Temple Sukkot was not only a harvest festival but also included a Water Drawing Ceremony.
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There are many traditional foods associated with Sukkot. Given that sukkot falls in autumn most foods have a bit of a fall theme. Some examples are Sweet and Savory Stuffed Prunes, and Stuffed Pumpkin.
lulav
Pronounced: LOO-lahv (oo as in boo), Origin: Hebrew, a bundle of branches representing three species — willow, myrtle and palm — which are shaken together with the etrog on Sukkot.
Sukkot
Pronounced: sue-KOTE, or SOOH-kuss (oo as in book), Origin: Hebrew, a harvest festival in which Jews eat inside temporary huts, falls in the Jewish month of Tishrei, which usually coincides with September or October.