| Sukkot began Wednesday evening and continues for seven days. As we gather in joy and reflection during this special harvest festival, we are reminded of the profound messages this season brings to our lives. Sukkot is also known as “z’man simchateinu – season of our joy.” Much of the imagery and ritual of the holiday revolves around rejoicing and thanking God for the completed harvest. This is a time for thanksgiving and gratitude, celebrating the bounty that life, God, and nature have provided us.
The sukkah, our humble temporary dwelling, symbolizes the fragility and transience of life. It serves as a vivid reminder of the journey our ancestors undertook in the wilderness, relying on faith and divine protection. This ephemeral structure calls us to embrace gratitude for the earth’s bounty, to celebrate life’s gifts, and to express thanksgiving to God for all that God has bestowed.
During Sukkot, we take “Four Species” - palm, willow, myrtle that are bound together as a lulav, together with a beautifully scented citrus fruit, called in Hebrew, etrog, make a blessing, and shake/wave them in all directions to acknowledge that God is everywhere. These four species represent four separate, distinct elements of nature, coming together as a unified whole. The lulav and etrog also symbolize that humanity is made up of distinct, individuals – each with our own perspectives, ideas, and belief systems. In an ideal world, we too, can come together in harmony and unity in gratitude for all God has granted us. In an ideal world, humanity can come together in harmony and unity, in peace, justice, and civility. We can work together to take the world as it is now, and turn the world into what it should become – a beautiful world in which all can live in freedom, liberty, dignity, and honor.
In this spirit of thankfulness, let us turn our attention to those who do not share in this abundance. As we dwell in our sukkah, sheltered only by its thin walls from the elements, we are reminded of those whose shelters are always exceedingly fragile. Our gratitude for our own blessings inspires a call to action. Let us commit to supporting and providing for those in our community and beyond who experience scarcity and need.
Beginning on Rosh Hashanah, our TBS Social Action Committee initiated our High Holy Day Food Drive to collect 500 bags of food and dry goods for those in need. Last year, we collected about 266 bags of food. This year, we have collected about 155 bags – we have yet matched last year’s collection. We have extended the food drive through the Shabbat following Simchat Torah, October 25th. Please help us express our gratitude for all we have by opening our hearts and hands, by helping those who are not so fortunate. Please see the list below for what is needed and bring a few bags of much needed groceries to TBS to make our celebration of Sukkot not just words, but a celebration of action as well.
This Sukkot, I encourage each of us to engage in acts of kindness and generosity. Together, as a community, we can transform gratitude into action, ensuring that the spirit of Sukkot—of thankfulness and giving—touches the lives of all. By doing so, we not only honor the traditions of our ancestors but also weave a stronger, more compassionate community. Let us be a community whose sense of gratitude knows no bounds, and expresses that gratitude through acts of “g’milut chasadim – acts of compassionate lovingkindness.”
Please join us this evening at TBS for “Get Your Sukkah On!” – a wonderful community-wide Sukkot celebration, followed by our 6:00 pm Shir Joy Musical Shabbat service in the Sukkah. Please see below for more information.
Some important dates for your calendar:
Wednesday, October 23rd, Simchat Torah and Consecration of our newest Religious School Students. Join us for a lively "Dancing with the Torah" celebration, with me, Cantorial Soloist Arielle Khalili, Nancy Rosen, Michael Sumague, and a wonderful klezmer band! See below for information.
Friday, November 1st: A special outdoor family service: "Shabbat Noach: B'rachah L'Chol HaBriyot – Shabbat Noah : Blessing for All Pets” (all pets must be on leashes, or in a carrying case). |
