🌿 Sukkot סֻכּוֹת

late September or October Ages 4–11

Sukkot is a joyful harvest festival. Families build a sukkah — a little hut with a leafy roof — and eat their meals inside it for a week.

💬 Say: Chag Sameach! — Happy holiday!

📖 The story

After the Israelites left Egypt, they wandered in the desert for 40 years and lived in simple huts. On Sukkot, we build a sukkah to remember them — and to remember that our homes and food are gifts.

A sukkah needs at least walls and a roof called s’chach, made from branches, bamboo or palm leaves. The roof should let you see the stars at night! Kids love decorating the sukkah with paper chains, fruit and drawings.

Sukkot is also a harvest festival. Each day (except Shabbat) people hold the "four species" — a palm branch (lulav), myrtle, willow and a lemon-like fruit called an etrog — and wave them in all directions. Inviting guests to the sukkah is a big part of the holiday.

✨ How we celebrate

• Building and decorating a sukkah
• Eating meals (and sometimes sleeping) in the sukkah
• Waving the lulav and etrog
• Inviting guests (ushpizin)

🔤 Hebrew words to learn

✂️ Crafts & activities