Have a Cookie in the Sukkie

This week we have been celebrateing Sukkot.

Sukkot is an eight-day harvest holiday that arrives during the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Tishrei is filled with many other holidays, such as Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Simchat Torah. Sukkot falls five days after Yom Kippur and is also known as the Festival of Booths.

At the beginning of sukkot (often during the days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot) Jews construct a sukkah. In ancient times people would live in the sukkot and eat every meal in them. In modern times people most often build a sukkah in their backyards or help their synagogue construct one for the community. Few people live in the sukkah today but it is popular to eat at least one meal in it.  

This year we have been fortunate enough to enjoy wonderful meals in many of our friends' homes. Each Sukkah we have visited has been more wonderful than the next. On the first night were able to see friends who live close by, but who we do not always see. Dinner was amazing as always and it was great to catch up with many of Josh's work friends and their SOs. It was a great night to eat under the stars and enjoy their inaugural Sukkah.

For Shabbat, we headed over to JP for a night outside with our fellow JP Shabbaters. Once again it was a great evening. Both services and dinner were outside in the most spectacular Sukkah I had ever seen. Because we do not get to see everyone from this group all of the time, spending one Friday a month with them was almost like a homecoming. There was a cool vibe, everyone was upbeat, and bringing so many people together with different backgrounds and philosophies created a unique environment. It was really a great night.

Last night we headed over to KI for everyone's favorite 'Beer and Pizza' night in the Sukkah. Despite the bad weather and the move inside, it was a blast! Not only were the usual suspects there, but a few new faces made an appearance too. Though I am not usually the one pushing for us to go to Temple, I do love how much fun it is to see many of our friends in one place at community activities.

Sukkot has been great so far this year, but one thing has been missing. Next year, Josh and I are going to build our own Sukkah in our backyard. We should probubly tell Ralph now so he has a year to get used to the idea.