What Sukkot Is
Sukkot, the Festival of Booths (also called the Feast of Tabernacles), is a week-long Jewish festival of thanksgiving and remembrance. It begins on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, five days after Yom Kippur, and its first day is observed as a full festival day (Yom Tov) with restrictions on work similar to those of Shabbat. The festival commemorates the forty years during which the Israelites wandered in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt, living in temporary shelters, and it also marks the completion of the annual harvest.
Origins and Meaning in Israel
Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim) of the Jewish calendar, along with Passover and Shavuot, during which Israelites were commanded to travel to Jerusalem. In ancient times, the Temple in Jerusalem was the center of the festival, and the pilgrimage to the city was a defining feature of the observance. In modern Israel, Sukkot retains its biblical character as a harvest and remembrance festival while also functioning as a national holiday period, with schools closed and many workplaces operating on reduced schedules.
Customs and Traditions
The defining practice of the festival is dwelling in a sukkah, a temporary booth with a roof of branches or other natural material (schach) through which the stars should be visible. Many families eat all their meals in the sukkah during the festival, and some sleep in it as well.
A second central ritual is the waving of the Four Species (arba minim):
- An etrog (citron)
- A lulav (palm frond)
- Hadassim (myrtle branches)
- Aravot (willow branches)
These are held together and waved in six directions during the morning prayers, symbolizing God's presence everywhere. The first day of Sukkot is a full festival day, so the Four Species are not waved on that day when it coincides with Shabbat; the rituals are performed on the following days instead.
Religious and Civic Observances
On the first day of Sukkot, observant Jews attend synagogue services that include the Hallel psalms of praise and special festival prayers. The day is a Yom Tov, meaning work is prohibited and candles are lit in the evening to usher in the festival. In Israel, the first day is observed as a full holiday, and the intermediate days (Chol HaMoed) that follow are marked by partial work restrictions and widespread leisure activities.
Food and Drink
Festival meals in the sukkah typically feature traditional foods. Because Sukkot is a harvest festival, dishes often highlight seasonal produce. Stuffed foods are common, reflecting the abundance of the harvest, and many families serve soups, stews, and casseroles that are easy to carry out to the sukkah. Challah bread is eaten, sometimes shaped or decorated in ways that evoke the festival. The etrog is sometimes used after the festival to make jam or liqueur.
Public Festivities
In Israel, Sukkot is a period of widespread public celebration. The intermediate days are marked by festivals, concerts, and family outings across the country. Many Israelis build sukkot on balconies, in courtyards, and on rooftops, and sukkah-building is a visible feature of the weeks leading up to the festival. The holiday period is a popular time for domestic tourism, with nature reserves, national parks, and hiking trails attracting large numbers of visitors.
Regional Variations
Observance of Sukkot in Israel is broadly consistent across the country, but there are regional differences in emphasis. In Jerusalem, the festival has a particularly strong religious character, with many synagogues, a large concentration of sukkot, and a pilgrimage-like atmosphere in the Old City and surrounding neighborhoods. In the northern region of Galilee, the harvest character of the festival is more prominent, with agricultural communities marking the season. In the Negev and Arava, the desert setting shapes sukkah construction and outdoor activities. In Tel Aviv and other coastal cities, the festival is marked by a mix of traditional observance and secular leisure, with beaches and public events drawing crowds during the intermediate days.
Significance
Sukkot's first day in Israel sets the tone for a week that combines religious observance, national holiday, and seasonal celebration. It is a time when the temporary sukkah becomes a focal point of family and community life, and when the themes of harvest, gratitude, and remembrance of the desert wanderings are woven into both private and public observance.