WEST aSia
WHEN
Sukkot is celebrated on the 15th day of
the seventh month, Tishrei (September
23–30, 2018)
WHERE
Jerusalem hosts the most interesting
religious events during Sukkot
HOW
No tours are offered during this period. Travel
plans will need to be made long in advance
DOS AND DON’TS- Do use the appropriate greetings on
Sukkot: Gut Yom Tov (Yiddish) and hag
samei’akh (Hebrew), which both mean
“happy holidays” - Don’t work during this week, if you want to
adhere to Sukkot tradition
EXPERIENCE
SUKKOTSukkot is a week-long Jewish festival
that follows Yom Kippur. The first and
last days are Shabat-like holidays,
and so most businesses close, but
lots of activities are organised across
Israel, making it a festive time to
visit. The intermediate days are
called Chol Hamoed, when certain
work is permitted. Sukkot marks
the end of the harvest period, but it
also holds religious significance in
commemorating the independence of
the Jewish people.
Throughout the week, all meals are
eaten in a sukkah, a structure that is
built from plant materials and wood
outside; many people sleep in them,
too. The sukkah is intended to remind
Jewish people of the kind of fragile
dwellings that the Israelites lived in
when their ancestors lived in the desert
after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt.FESTIVAL MUST-SEE: SUKKOT
Israel
Building one during Sukkot is
a mitzvah – a religious obligation.
Today, many people decorate them
by hanging paper chains, fruits,
vegetables, cards and pictures from
the rudimentary rafters. It is also a
custom to invite guests to the sukkah.
National parks, museums and other
heritage sites are very busy during
Sukkot. Most museums host special
events for the holidays. During the
intermediate days of Sukkot, there are
performances of music and dancing.
The seventh day of Sukkot involves
a synagogue service in which
worshippers pray – according to the
Talmudic tradition – by presenting
the four species: etrog (the fruit of a
citron tree), lulav (a frond from a date
palm tree), hadass (branches from the
myrtle tree) and aravah (branches from
the willow tree).
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