Sukkot, the “Festival of Tabernacles,” is one of Judaism’s three central pilgrimage festivals, along with Passover and Shavuot. Sukkot is celebrated by eating meals in a sukkah, a temporary structure built according to specific guidelines; waving the four species, the citron, date palm frond, myrtle, and willow; and rejoicing. This year, Sukkot begins at sundown on Friday, October 2 and continues for a week, culminating in the holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. We’ve collected some of the best Sukkot-related classes, workshops, and home-based projects to help you prepare for the holiday and celebrate!
The Basics of Sukkot
Tuesday, September 29 at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT
In this class with My Jewish Learning, we will explore the basic mitzvot – commandments – related to the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. We will touch on the sukkah, the four species, the water libation, and the commandment to rejoice. Led by Dafna Siegman.
The Saga of the Citron: Historical and Global Perspectives
Wednesday, September 30 at 12:00 p.m. ET/9a.m. PT
Join Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University to discover what the etrog, or citron, can reveal to us about larger historical trends.
All is Fleeting: The Book of Ecclesiastes
Thursday, October 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT
Join My Jewish Learning for this special Sukkot class on Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, the biblical book that is read during Sukkot. Rabbi Sara Brandes will lead an inspirational exploration of the main themes of the text, which offer timeless wisdom during these unusual times.
From Yom Kippur to Sukkot
Wednesdays: September 30 and October 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT
Join Torah in Motion, a Jewish educational institution based in Toronto, Canada, for this Sukkot series. Led by Rabbi David Silber.
Experiences in the Aleph Sukkah
Friday, October 2 through Saturday, October 10
Join Aleph, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal, for prayer and learning experiences throughout the week of Sukkot! Chose among services, teachings, and meditation, with a different offering every day of the week.
Sukkot Workshop
Tuesday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT
Learn more about the holiday of Sukkot in this session with Rabbi Buchwald of the National Jewish Outreach Program.
Sukkah in Place
Thursday, October 1 at 8:00p.m. ET/5:00p.m. PT
The Jewish Museum presents an art experience that reimagines the human body as this year’s sukkah. Four choreographers will offer different perspectives in a physicalized ritual.
Sukkot Sermon with Dena Weiss
Thursday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
Dena Weiss of the Hadar Institute, an egalitarian educational institute based in NYC, will offer a pre-holiday teaching about the holiday of Sukkot.
Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and the Joy of Water
Tuesday, October 6 at 2:00p.m. ET/11:00a.m. PT
Join My Jewish Learning’s special class led by Sarah Chandler. In ancient times, Sukkot opened with a water-drawing ritual which symbolized faith that the coming year’s rains would fall just in time. On Shemini Atzeret, we mark the beginning of the daily prayer for rain with a special prayer. How can these rituals inform contemporary Jews’ relationship to rain?
SukkotLIVE: A Five Senses Sukkah
Tuesday, October 6 at 7:30p.m. ET/4:30p.m. PT
JewishLIVE has created an online, multi-room, wander-able Sukkah, and you are invited! Guests will be able to travel into the different rooms and engage each of the five senses.
Rise Up! A Community Sukkot Celebration
Tuesday, October 6 at 11:00p.m. ET/8:00p.m. PT
Join the Jewish Federation of Seattle for this online, community-wide Sukkot celebration!
Growing in Temporary Spaces: A Sukkot Writing Workshop and Discussion
Wednesday, October 7 at 10:00a.m. ET/7:00a.m. PT
Join Hazon, an organization focused on strengthening Jewish life and working towards environmental sustainability for this Sukkot writing workshop.
Shaking the Lulav and Etrog
Wednesday, October 7 at 10:30a.m. ET/7:30a.m. PT
Tune in to My Jewish Learning’s Facebook page to hear Dafna Siegman explain the four species and shake the lulav and etrog under her Jerusalem Sukkah!
Do-It-Yourself Sukkot Activities
Check out suggestions from HighHolidays@Home for Sukkot-related projects you can do at home, on your own time!
Sukkot on Sefaria
Sefaria is an open source online library of Jewish texts. Browse through traditional texts and contemporary source sheets related to Sukkot, such as “How to Shake a Lulav” and “The Symbolism of a Sukkah.” Try out Sefaria’s new feature enabling users to learn in real time on video with a chevruta, a study partner!
Sukkot learning resources from Pardes
Listen to a variety of Sukkot teachings from faculty members at Pardes, an educational institute based in Jerusalem. A Sukkot compendium of written materials is also available for download.
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