By: Cindy Coons
Director of Jewish Explorers and Family Engagement
Every year, I look forward to the start of one of my favorite Jewish holidays, Sukkot, which begins at sundown on October 16 this year. Preparations for this week-long holiday begin with my husband moving the large sections of our Sukkah out of our garage, carrying them around to the back of our home, and beginning to build our sukkah on our back patio. There’s something so deeply beautiful and satisfying about using our hands and hearts to build something that honors the Jewish value of Hachnasat Orchim – welcoming guests. In a year that has been so unimaginably heartbreaking and devastating, it feels especially hopeful to build a space that inherently welcomes all. One of the requirements of building a sukkah is that it must have at least 3 walls and an option to add a fourth wall. I love that we have chosen to leave one wall open in our sukkah. It is a reminder to all who join us that they are truly welcome and that we have fully opened our home and hearts to them. No need to knock, ring a doorbell, or wonder if you are welcome to join us. Our literal open-door policy speaks for itself.
Sukkot is a joyful harvest holiday, one of three true chags (with Passover and Shavuot being the other two.) Although it is a holiday that celebrates the autumn harvest, we can also think about it as a time to harvest love, kindness, compassion, connection, and peace, especially following the year we have all experienced and are continuing to experience. Amid our individual and collective grief, sharing this type of bounty feels so nurturing, providing light, hope, strength, and peace as we make room in our sukkah to welcome family, friends both old and new, and guests from our community.
Although the sukkah is only a temporary structure, my hope is that its “harvesting” lessons will continue to inspire us all year long to build, strengthen, and cultivate a sacred space that can withstand all types of “weather” elevated by the power of community. Wishing you and your family a joyful Sukkot and time to harvest an abundance of love, kindness, compassion, connection, and peace during Sukkot and throughout the new year. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sukkot Sameach from all of us at JEWISHcolorado.
Please email Cindy Coons at ccoons@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.