Posts Tagged "sukkah"
Sukkah Decorations From Nature
I think the most beautiful sukkah decorations come from nature! It is traditional to display the Seven Species of the Land of Israel: Wheat Grape Fig Pomegranate Olive Date Barley The local fruits and flowers that are in season also add to the beauty of the sukkah. In Pennsylvania we have the following: Gourds Mums Indian Corn Cranberries Of course, the sukkah must have the Four Species. Lulav The frond of a date palm tree Hadass Branches from the myrtle tree Arava Boughs from the willow tree. Etrog Fruit from the citron tree. With so many beautiful colors and textures to work with, all you need to do is unleash your...
Read MoreBuild Your Own All-Natural Sukkah
Sukkot is a harvest festival celebrated on the 15th of Tishrei, which usually falls between September and October. In the times of the Temple, Jews were mandated to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem during Sukkot with the tithes of their fall harvest. We are commanded to live in booths for seven days when celebrating Sukkot (Leviticus 23: 42-43). Many of us still build these booths or sukkot today. There are several rules for building a sukkah. It must be built outside, under the sky. A sukkah is required to have at least three sides. Its walls may be constructed of any material. These walls must be at least 32 inches high, but no more than 30 feet high. The...
Read MoreThe Etrog: The Father Of All Lemons
Published in The Philadelphia Jewish Voice Have you ever felt an uncontrollable urge to cut the etrog in half? Many of us wonder why we bring this strange fruit into our sukkah. Is it not just an overpriced lemon? What does it symbolize? How is it a part of the Jewish tradition? Most importantly, can we eat it?What is an etrog? An etrog is a large, fragrant, elongated golden lemon-like fruit. It is the yellow citron, or Citrus medica, a member of the citron family. The history of the etrog Etrogs originated in Southeast Asia about 4000 years ago. They still grow wild in India in the valleys of the lower slopes of the Himalaya Mountains. These...
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