Sukkot: A Time of Joy, Unity and Hospitality

Sukkot begins at sunset on Friday, September 25. The seven-day Festival of Joy recalls the Clouds of Glory that protected the Jewish people during their journey through the desert after the Exodus from Egypt 3,339 years ago. Two central mitzvahs of the holiday are eating meals in a sukkah, a temporary structure covered with branches, and blessing the lulav and etrog. The Four Kinds consist of palm, myrtle and willow branches together with a citron. They are held together as a symbol of unity and blessed during the holiday. Chabad centers around the world build sukkahs for local residents and visitors, offering many people the opportunity to take part in this tradition. Sukkahs can also be mobile: some are placed on pickup trucks, cruise ships or bicycles. The source encourages people to locate a nearby Chabad center in order to observe the holiday traditions. Sukkot is a time of joy, connection and shared Jewish experience.