The High Holiday season culminates with Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Sukkot, the Fall Harvest Holiday, invites us to connect with nature, celebrate agricultural abundance, and reflect on our impermanence. Simchat Torah celebrates finishing the Torah reading cycle and beginning again. It’s a dance party with the Torah!
Want to forage your own local lulav? Check out our guide for foraging and shaking the lulav here.
For thousands of years, Jews have shaken lulavim and etrogim during Sukkot. Traditionally, the lulav has been made of the leaves of date palms, myrtle, and willows, and the etrog has been understood to be a citron fruit. Often these plants are grown in the Land of Israel. However, over the past few years, a new trend has emerged of foraging diasporic or place-based lulavim. Sukkot is all about connecting with the earth, and foraging your own lulav is a way to ground yourself in the holiness of the land you live on.
Shabbat in the Sukkah
Friday, September 29 | 6:00-8:00pm | Solon backyard (accessibility note: there are 3 steps to get to the indoors bathroom)
Registration is not required for members and friends – you will receive the address in your email newsletter.
Not a member or friend? You’re most welcome to join us! Please sign up here for the address.
Join CJC to welcome in Sukkot! We will begin by shaking lulavs, lighting candles, and blessing grape juice and challah. We will provide these ritual foods, and we invite you to bring a vegetarian dish to share for a potluck dinner.
BYO local or traditional lulav if you want. We will also have a local lulav available for folks to shake. Feel free also to bring decorations for the sukkah!
Some people in our community are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, or allergic to nuts – please keep these dietary needs in mind as you decide what to bring, so that everyone has at least one thing they can eat. Please list ingredients so that people know what they are able to eat.
All ages are welcome! There will be games and crafts for littles.
Sukkot & Simchat Torah Shabbaton
Friday, October 6 – Sunday, October 8 | Alliance, OH
Registration closes Sunday, October 1st
We will close the High Holiday season with a very special shabbaton at Celeste and Sam’s farm in Alliance!
We’ll begin Friday evening October 6th with shabbes dinner and close Sunday morning October 8th with breakfast – you’re welcome to come for part or all of the retreat. You can find a detailed schedule and register below.
We’ll be camping, but there but there are a couple couches available for those who need. If you want to camp but don’t have a tent, we have you covered!
All ages welcome! Throughout the Shabbaton, kids are welcome to run around and play on the farm. We’ll have a kids tent full of toys, books, and crafts. Beginning Saturday at 4pm we’ll have specifically kid-friendly programming.
Questions? Contact Rabbi Miriam here
What to bring
- BYO local or traditional lulav and etrog if you have one (here’s a guide for foraging a local lulav!)
- BYO instrument for singing around the campfire if you want
- BYO tent, camping gear, and pillows if you have – or request to borrow some in the registration form
- BYO camping chair if you want
- A vegetarian dish for shabbes dinner. Some people in our community are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, or allergic to nuts – please keep these dietary needs in mind as you decide what to bring, so that everyone has at least one thing they can eat. Please list ingredients so that people know what they are able to eat.
- A snack or drink to share, if you can
- An ingredient for cholent, if you can
- Anything you might need if you plan to offer an activity on shabbes afternoon
Schedule
