Do you want to build a Sukkah?
Published September 12, 2022
One of the most fun, family-friendly, holidays in the Jewish calendar is just around the corner—Sukkot (starting the evening of Sunday, Oct. 9 and ending the evening of Oct. 16). But if you have ever thought of building your own sukkah, now is the time to start planning.
What is a Sukkah?
Basically, a sukkah is a hut in which Jews are supposed to dwell during the weeklong celebration of Sukkot.
According to rabbinic tradition, these tent-like structures represent the huts in which the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after escaping from slavery in Egypt. And while there are excellent prefabricated sukkahs available, in a variety of sizes, from many Judaica vendors, many choose to build their own, and doing so can be tricky if you’ve never tried to build one before.
Help is here
Open to anyone, Congregation Shaare Emeth is hosting a three-part program to help you with all your building needs from instructions to supplies. The process begins with a Zoom meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13 and will progress over the next three weeks. Step 1 is purely informational and is designed to help you figure out if building a sukkah is even for you.
You’re invited to attend a special informational Zoom meeting with Jim Lammers, a Shaare Emeth member who previously created and built their Drive-Thru Sukkah. He has built most of the sukkot at Shaare Emeth over the years. As a sukkah expert, he will share his knowledge and expertise with anyone interested in building their own.
The Zoom session is 7 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13. Participants will learn how to build a sukkah with Jim Lammers’ Sukkah Kit, and there will be time for questions. Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you decide to proceed with the program, you’ll be instructed on how to purchase your kit, and there will be a hands-on event Oct. 2 where participants can pick up the sukkah kits they purchased and see Lammers build one of the sukkahs on site.
