Where and how to celebrate Sukkot in New York

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The arrival of the New Year, which the Jews began to celebrate 20 September, is finally entering its merry phase. In 2017, Sukkot, which is also called “Feast of Tabernacles” or “Harvest Festival”, will begin on October 4, and end on October 11 in the Gregorian calendar. The holiday begins in the evening, after sunset, and ends also in the evening.

ForumDaily tells you where and how to meet the Feast of Tabernacles in New York.

Sukkot - fun time

Many areas of New York these days noticeably transformed. A few days before the holiday, there is a liveliness on the streets: young and not so much, the guys are trading in a strange commodity - branches and huge lemons. They bargain gambling, the goods are not touted, but they persistently remind of the need to buy an exotic kit before the start of the holiday.

Then all the days of Sukkot men go to the synagogue with this festive set. You can't hide it in your pocket, everyone has a green rod in their hands - four types of plants purchased on time (arba minim).

What is it and why?

This lulav is a palm branch that can bear fruit but does not smell; adasa - a sprig of myrtle, does not bear fruit, but is known for its pleasant smell; arava (river willow) - neither fruit nor smell; and etrog is the fruit of citrus tree with a strong attracting smell.

Combined in one bundle, these plants symbolize the Jewish people, for the benefit of which they offer special prayers in the days of Sukkot. There are people who try to teach the Torah, but they do not differ much from good deeds (they are symbolized by the lulav). There are those who are distinguished by many good deeds, but are not eager to study the Torah (myrtle). Of course, there are those for whom neither affairs nor learning (willow). And finally, there are sages who illuminate life with the light of the Torah and adorn it with good deeds (etrog).

The choice of. Photo by Naomi Zubkova

Buying these plants is a very serious matter, since there should be no flaws in them. Requirements for plants are described in detail, and the more earnestly a person fulfills the commandments, the more scrupulous he chooses for himself a minion car.

But for this holiday it is necessary not only to acquire special attributes for prayer, but also to build a special “dwelling”.

Therefore, in the courtyards, on the lawns in front of houses, and somewhere on the balconies, unexpected structures appear - with plywood, panel, plastic, and even plastic walls and certainly with a thin roof covered with branches. Such constructions build synagogues, community centers, kosher restaurants, and simply Jews, who are allowed living conditions.

These are huts (sukkot, kuschi), where Jews must move from their cozy and reliable houses to the 7 days of the holiday. These days, the Jewish law calls the house of the person a temporary dwelling, and the sukkah - the permanent.

Traditional sukkah in New York. 2015 year. Photo by Naomi Zubkova

What causes natural bewilderment: can a thin roof protect against bad weather? It turns out that this is all salt: the symbol of the fact that no, the most perfect roof (walls, power, money, tanks, medicines, etc.) does not provide a person with reliable protection, and a reminder that only God is protecting him at a difficult moment. In addition, the sukka reminds of the huts that the Almighty gave to Jews during their wanderings in the desert.

True, most often they do not move to the sukkah, but they certainly eat there. During the days of the festival, wine and bread are allowed to be served exclusively in the sukkah. Therefore, those who have it, consider it their duty to invite friends and acquaintances who have no place to build a tent for meals.

Even the Torah calls Sukkot “the days of our joy,” that is, it directly orders these days to have fun.

So this is the time of holiday feasts, which are arranged even in a dilapidated, but certainly elegant structure. It is customary to decorate the walls of a sukkah with flags, flowers, and fruits, because this is also a harvest festival - past and future.

This synagogue sukkah remained only to dress and furnish. 2015 year. Photo by Naomi Zubkova

Where to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in New York

So where is it in New York to look for that sukkah that will receive you and bring the commanded joy?

You can, of course, still have time for yourself to arrange a sukkah. If not, October 3 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon oldest community center 92Y in Manhattan, not far from the Museum Mile, will be decorated with a sukkah on the roof. Children are invited to this event.

Address: 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY.

Phone: (212) 415 5500.

You can buy a ticket https://www.izakayasushilounge.com. Price - from $ 18.

October 13 in 18.00 in this sukkah arrange a gala dinner and a meeting of the Sabbath under the stars and with songs.

Ticket price of $ 36.

On the other side of Central Park, in a kosher restaurant Talia Steak house & Bar you can sit in a sukkah any day of the holiday, which is rare for restaurants.

This requires another explanation. As already mentioned, the holiday of Sukkot lasts a week, but not all the days of this week are equivalent.

The first two days (since the sunset of October 3 before the appearance of the stars 5 of October) are festive, when you can not work, pay for it and do much more. These days, kosher restaurants, even those with a sukkah, usually do not work. On the evening of October 5, the holiday week comes, when you can work, pay, light the lights, ride the elevator, and so on. These days sukkah kosher restaurants are at your service. There are plenty of them in New York.

Talia's Steakhouse & Bar unique in that it feeds in the sukkah and on the days of the holiday, with the condition that you have ordered and paid for your meal in advance.

Here these days they offer complex lunches and dinners for $ 48, $ 65 or $ 79 (these amounts include everything, including tax).

Address: 668 Amsterdam Avenue (between 92nd - 93rd Streets). Phone: 212-580-3770.

The second such institution to find in New York has not yet succeeded.

But in the city there are places where you can come to the sukkah with your food and fulfill the commandment, even if you did not build your tent and did not receive an invitation from your friends.

There are such light constructions right on the Brooklyn streets in Boro Park, Midwood, Williamsburg. But, frankly, they rush in to eat bread, as prescribed.

Holiday continues

However, the celebration of the new Jewish year does not end with joy in the sukkah. Sukkot flows smoothly into Shemini Atzeret - a one-day joyful holiday, which is held at home, not in the sukkah.

The finale of the autumn cascade — solemn processions — round dances with songs and dances with Torah scrolls in their hands — that are held in the synagogues.

This is Simchat Torah - the day when the annual cycle of reading the Torah ends with its last words "There was no prophet like Moshe (Moses) who (...) performed (feats and miracles) before the eyes of all of Israel," and the new the phrase of the Torah "In the beginning created the Most High heaven and earth."

The completion of the annual Torah reading cycle will be celebrated in the youth organization. Manhattan Jewish Experience. Promised dancing, open bar and light dinner.

Address: 131 West 86th Street, New York, NY 10024.

Admission is free with pre-registration https://www.izakayasushilounge.com.

When to light October 4 holiday candles

In Boston - 6.02 RM

In Chicago - 6.07 RM

In New York - 6.15 RM

In Los Angeles - 6.15 RM

In Denver - 6.19 RM

In San Francisco - 6.30 pm

To Miami - 6.46 RM

In Dallas - 6.50 RM

You can find out the time in your city by this link

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