Sukkot

Sukkot, observed on September 25, is a joyful Jewish holiday that celebrates the harvest and commemorates the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. It is sometimes called the Feast of Booths because families and communities build temporary shelters, known as sukkot, to remember the fragile dwellings used during that journey and to reflect on gratitude, faith, and life’s blessings.

During Sukkot, people may eat meals, welcome guests, and spend time in the sukkah, often decorating it with fruits, greenery, and other colorful touches. Many also observe the tradition of waving the lulav and etrog, symbolic plants that represent unity and the natural world. With its emphasis on hospitality, community, and appreciation for the harvest, Sukkot invites everyone to pause, celebrate together, and give thanks.

Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles, is a major Jewish observance with roots in the biblical traditions of ancient Israel. Its name refers to the temporary shelters, or *sukkot*, associated with the festival. The Hebrew Bible connects Sukkot both with the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness after the Exodus and with the agricultural harvest season. In this observance, Sukkot is observed on **September 25**.

In ancient times, Sukkot was one of the three pilgrimage festivals during which Israelites traveled to Jerusalem. The celebration was closely connected with the Temple, thanksgiving for the harvest, and prayers for rainfall needed for the coming agricultural year. Worshippers brought offerings and gathered in a spirit of communal rejoicing. Biblical accounts, particularly in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, established many of the festival’s religious themes, including dwelling in temporary shelters and celebrating the bounty of the land.

After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., Sukkot evolved from a pilgrimage and sacrificial festival into a home- and synagogue-centered observance. Rabbinic Judaism developed detailed practices surrounding the construction of a *sukkah*, which is traditionally built with a temporary roof made from natural materials. Families eat meals in the structure, and some spend extended periods there. The tradition preserves the festival’s emphasis on human vulnerability, dependence on nature, and remembrance of the Israelites’ wilderness experience.

Sukkot remains both a religious and cultural celebration of gratitude, hospitality, and community. Many Jewish families decorate their *sukkah* with fruits, plants, artwork, and seasonal decorations, while prayers and customs emphasize joy and the welcoming of guests. The festival also includes symbolic use of the *arba minim*, or “Four Species”: the etrog, lulav, myrtle, and willow. Together, these practices connect ancient agricultural traditions with enduring Jewish ideas about faith, memory, generosity, and stewardship of the natural world. Source: [National Today, “Sukkot”](https://nationaltoday.com/sukkot/).