Sukkos Q & A

Jews celebrating Sukkot

By CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS

Staff Writer

Holiday commemorates harvest, God sheltering the Israelites

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

Many Jewish people will be eating outside under special wooden shelters topped by greenery this week.

They're observing the festival of Sukkot (pronounced suh-COAT), also known as the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.

Here are five things to know about this special holiday:

QUESTION

When does Sukkot start?

ANSWER

Each year, this ancient feast begins five days after Yom Kippur(the Jewish Day of Atonement). This year, the feast started at sundown Monday and will continue for eight days.

QUESTION

What does Sukkot commemorate, and what are its themes?

ANSWER

It is known as the "Feast of Booths," or "Feast of Tabernacles." The holiday commemorates the harvest season and is a reminder of how God sheltered the Israelites through the wilderness during the Exodus.

"This is a festival of harvest and thanksgiving. It's a joyful festival," said Rabbi Sanford Marcus, who leads Tree of Life Congregation, a Reform Jewish congregation in Columbia.

Rabbi Hesh Epstein, who leads the Learning Shul, a Chabad Lubavitch group that worships at Rockbridge Club, talked about the holiday's message of unity.

"It's a time of joy, with everyone coming together," he said.

QUESTION

How is it observed?

ANSWER

Many Jewish families built small symbolic structures called sukkahs in their back yards, which symbolize the shelters the Israelites stayed under during the Exodus.

The shelters usually are wooden and topped with branches or greenery.

During Sukkot, families take meals under these shelters. Some Orthodox families live under the shelters as much as possible during the feast, even sleeping in them when possible.

Some synagogue congregations also get together for meals under communal sukkahs.

Also during the feast, four special plants are blessed and used to decorate the sukkahs. These plants symbolize unity in diversity: a special citrus known as citron (or ethrog in Hebrew), palm, willow and myrtle. There also are special worship services held in Jewish temples during this time.

Marcus described the joyful celebration of "Simchat Torah," or "Rejoicing in the Torah," that takes place at the end of Sukkot. The torah scrolls, which contain sacred Hebrew scripture, are removed from their protective arks in the synagogue sanctuary. Adults and children sing and dance with the scrolls and celebrate the gift of Jewish law.

QUESTION

How important is this holiday?

ANSWER

Sukkot is considered one of the great Jewish feasts because its observance is based on Jewish scripture. It comes a week after the ending of the Jewish High Holy Days, which include Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur.

QUESTION

Do observant Jews work or go to school during Sukkot?

ANSWER

The first two and last two days are considered especially holy, and Orthodox Jews usually do not go to work or attend school on these holidays. Many places of employment and school districts have policies that allow employees and students to miss work or classes on important feast days in their religions.

Sources: beliefnet.com,""The Handy Religion Answer Book"