If you have walked around Skokie lately, you may have noticed some strange huts (as in the photo above) near the sides of some houses and buildings.  Or perhaps you saw the “Sukkah Mobile” in the Old Orchard parking lot and were wondering what that was all about.  These huts are part of the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

This holiday stems from the Bible after the Jews left Egypt.  When the Jews left Egypt, God protected them from the harsh conditions of the desert with the “Clouds of Glory”.  In order to give thanks and remember this event, Jews celebrate Sukkot, an eight day holiday.  In the fall, a sukkah (a hut) serves as a temporary place for Jewish people to dwell.  A sukkah has at least three walls and generally has either bamboo mats or evergreen branches on top.

Every day during the holiday, we eat at least one meal in the sukkah, weather permitting.  Given the harsh weather conditions in Chicago, this can be quite a struggle.  A sukkah is just four thin walls covered with branches.  It is usually not insulated or heated in any way.  One way to stay warm outside is by eating warm food, like soup or roast.  Another way to stay warm is, of course, to bundle up.  I personally wore striped tall socks, leggings, a skirt, a shirt, a sweater, a scarf, a winter coat, and, of course, my monkey hat before going outside.  Maybe I looked ridiculous, but I was definitely warm.

Another tradition of Sukkot is to shake the four species.  In one hand we hold a citron, which smells like a lemon, (called an etrog in Hebrew), and in the other we hold a palm frond bound with three myrtle twigs and two willow twigs.  We hold them all together and shake them in six directions (up, down, right, left, in front, and behind) to represent God is everywhere.  The species represent the four different types of people that make up the Jewish community.

As a religious Jew, I do observe the holy days of Sukkot.  The holy days are the first two days of the holiday and the last two days of the holiday.  When observing these holy days, I am restricted from doing many things, including but not limited to, driving, writing, using any electronic devices (including my cell phone!), turning lights on and off, and listening to music.  You are probably thinking something along the lines of, “What does she do all day?” and “How does she live?”

While it may appear to be torture, the holy days are the most relaxing part of the holiday.  I spend these days with my family and friends.  We talk a lot and are able to spend lots of quality time together.  We play board games and card games and also read many books and magazines.  The holy days are a great way to catch up on sleep as well.  Although it is really hard to unplug from the world sometimes – stop doing homework or close out Netflix – and just enjoy a quiet day, it is definitely worth it.

For more information on Sukkot, click here.