Sukkot: Celebrating Amidst Vulnerability
Sukkot and the holiday’s temporary structures invite us to both recognize our fragility and the joy of our communities and traditions. Who knows what we can build when we come together…
Sukkot begins on October 16th and ends on October 23rd
Sukkot in Community
Discount on Buying Your Own Sukkah
Check Out This Special Discount for the Den Community from our friends @ The Sukkah Project:
Use Code: chag2024 for 5% off any order from sukkot.com
Shipping is generally a couple days. Order soon to get your sukkah in time for Sukkot
Sukkot Learning + Gathering
Sukkot Holiday Meals with OneTable
Friday, October 18th • 7:00pm-9:00pm
If you’re looking to host or attend a Shabbat community meal during the Friday night of Sukkot, you can sign up through OneTable. OneTable provides “financial nourishment” and ritual resources for your meal. Sign up here.
Rejoice: A Creative Arts Exploration in the Sukkah
Monday, October 21st • 7:00pm-9:00pm
In our liturgy, Sukkot is referred to as Z'man Simchateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing. Join Rabbi Aderet in her family Sukkah for a special evening, where we will explore new ways to access and creatively express our joy - through chanting, creating art with our hands, blessing practice and more. We enter this joyous season amid an ongoing war. We’ll gather outdoors and under the stars for an evening of dynamic learning, meaningful conversation, and refreshments. Everyone welcome. Sign up by Sunday, October 21st.
Dance, Dance,(Re)Evolution: Hoshana Rabbah Learning + Celebration
Tuesday, October 22nd • 7:00pm-9:00pm
Join Rabbi Emmanuel for a special gathering marking Hoshana Rabbah, the final day of Sukkot where we reflect and finalize our hopes for the New Year, as well as pray for the wellbeing of our planet and ecosystem. Together we’ll explore the ancient practice of “hakafot,” walking (or marching) in a communal circle alongside prayer, poetry, and music while symbolically holding willow branches. No prior experience necessary, and all are welcome to this unique learning and earth-based ritual experience. Sign up by Sunday, October 20th.
Resources + Rituals for Your Sukkot Celebrations
Tashlich Ceremony: Created with care by the Den Rabbis. Try it out from the second day of Rosh Hashana and until Hoshana Rabba (10/23). Here’s a brief video on the Tashlich ritual.
DIY Sukkot Activities: From the good folks at Recustom, check out this mix of traditional and reimagined rituals, to guide you through the week of Sukkot.
HIAS Sukkot Resources: More than 82 million refugees and displaced people—from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan, Honduras, Venezuela, Syria and many other countries—wander the earth in search of a safe place to call home. This Sukkot, invite eight of these individuals into your sukkah to tell their stories by placing their photos and accompanying narrative in your Sukkah; download these here.
Simchat Torah Cocktails: On Thursday night, 10/24 through Friday, 10/25 we’ll celebrate the holiday of Simchat Torah. On Simchat Torah, we dance with the Torah Scrolls as if at a wedding, joyously unrolling and re-rolling the Torah so we can begin the Torah-reading cycle anew.
The Blue Dove Foundation has a collection of mental health resources for Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah. Highlights include a Prayer for Rain and Climate Change and Dancing into Forgiveness.
Candle Lighting Times:
Wednesday, October 16: 1st night of Sukkot (Erev Sukkot), light @ 6:09pm
Thursday, October 17: 2nd festival night, light after 6:30pm
Wednesday, October 23: Shemini Atzeret, light @ 5:59pm
Thursday, October 24: Simchat Torah, light after 6:21pm
Friday, October 25: Simchat Torah ends and Shabbat begins at 5:57pm
Chag Sukkot Sameach – חג סוכות שמח