Sukkot

The Festival of Booths, Hag Ha-Sukkot, was also known in biblical times as Hag He-Asif, or simply, He-Hag, the “Festival of Ingathering” and “The Festival.” The rabbis of the Talmud called the festival the Season of our Rejoicing, Zeman Simhateinu. In addition to celebrating the fall harvest, Sukkot commemorates the forty year period of wandering in the wilderness when the Israelites came out of Egypt.

We are always on the journey, somewhere “in the wilderness” and yet find the ability to rejoice in being open to what is. The Sukkah or harvest hut, whose roof must be open to the elements, is a symbol of God’s protection that we find along the way, while the lulav and etrog, or harvest fruits, symbolize the diversity in community through which we come to experience God’s fullness.

At Dorshei Emet, we celebrate Sukkot together in our beautiful community Sukkah, with family activities, congregational services and kiddush lunches, and guest speakers.