RE Judaism

Lesson: Religious education

This weekend sees the start of the Jewish Festival of Sukkot.

What is Sukkot?

Sukkot is a Biblical Jewish festival, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, Tisheri. It’s also called the Feast of Tabernacles, Festival of Shelters, and the Feast of Ingathering.

The Bible says that God commanded the Israelites to build a sukkah every year and stay in it for seven days to remember that God brought them safely out of Egypt.

This festival lasts for seven days and is filled with delicious meals and ceremonial prayers, all of it taking place in a Sukkah.

How is Sukkot celebrated?

To begin Sukkot, families first build a Sukkah in their backyard. A sukkah is a temporary hut that is used to eat, sleep, and spend free time in during the week of Sukkot. These are symbolic structures that must have at least two and a half walls and can stretch as long as needed to include many people. They are meant to represent the fragile structures that the Israelites stayed in during their journey to leave Egypt. The roof is usually covered in branches or flora.

This is a time that families spend time together to eat meals and socialize together.  To find out more you can watch these videos…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0193b73

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?

q=bbc+sukkot+for+kids&view=detail&mid=5125DAEC3E7A8EEF2BF15125DAEC3E7A8EEF2BF1&FORM=VIRE

Chag Sameach - Happy Sukkot in Hebrew!