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Two women from the Kalberman family stand outside their sukkah belonging to Emanuel and Rosa Kalbermann. Standing on the left is Marta Rosenfeld Kalbermann, 1935, Mannheim, Germany.

Credit: USHMM, courtesy of Steven Frank

Sukkot

The Sukkah
 

According to halakha, the walls of the sukkah can be made from any material, including wood, canvas, plaster, or regular walls of glass or aluminium. A sukkah may be free-standing, or include sides of a building or porch in its structure. The roof of a sukkah, however, must be of organic material that is detached from the ground. Palm fronds, branches, bamboo and wood are the most common roofing materials. The amount of shade inside the sukkah must exceed the amount of sunlight that can enter through the roof. The interior of the sukkah is traditionally decorated with pictures, tapestries, hanging fruits and ornaments.

Sukkot is a  seven day holiday, with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. The remaining days are known as Chol HaMoed ("festival weekdays"). The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah ("Great Hoshana", referring to the increased number of circuits taken by worshippers in the synagogue during morning services, and has a special observance of its own. Outside the land of Israel, the first two days are celebrated as full festivals.

Prayers during Sukkot include the reading of the Torah every day, saying the Mussaf (additional) service after morning prayers, reading the Hallel, and adding special supplications into the Amidah and grace after meals. In addition, the Four Species are taken on everyday of Sukkot except for Shabbat and are included in the Hallel and Hoshanot portions of the prayer. next ►►


Adapted from Wikipedia.



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