Sukkot is a Jewish celebration of the harvest

By Michelle Zelinger

Many cultures celebrate the harvest this time of year.  In the Jewish faith "Sukkot" is a time to give thanks for food and shelter.

Members of Temple Emanuel are celebrating Sukkot by sharing their good fortunes with others.

The central symbol of Sukkot is the sukkah, a hut or temporary dwelling where Jews gather to remember the experience of their ancestors, giving thanks for shelter, and appreciating the vulnerability we all have.

"How do we treat the people around us, how do we treat ourselves?" said Temple Emanuel Rabbi Emily Hyatt.  "Who are we advocating for?  How are we working to make the world a better place?"

The holiday is marked by processions with the Lulav, a palm branch, and an etrog, a large yellow citrus fruit - one of four species shaken together as a holiday ritual.

Building community and understanding that there are those in our community who have no shelter.

Dr. Rich Guggenheim from the Colorado Dept of Agriculture was invited to discuss safe composting and encouraging sustainability.  He said, "If you think of sustainability, it's a cycle. And we're closing that cycle because we're taking what we use in the environment and the excess that we have at harvest time and we're breaking it down and we're putting it back into the environment to be used again. There is no reason for us to ship all of that stuff to the landfill or let it sit in the environment to cause pollution."

In Jewish litgergy, "z man simchateinu, Sukkot is referred to as the time of our joy, sharing time and abundance with family and friends. 

Temple Emanuel works with Jewish Family Services Food Bank to donate to people experiencing food insecurity.  Find out how you can support the effort visit Jewish Family Service