Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are so meaningful. They are at the heart of the Jewish experience and have been for generations: the liturgy, the music, the call of the shofar, the reflection and introspection we take part in as a community, the solemnity of Yizkor, the grandeur of it all, the many moments of meaning and inspiration. Thank God we are able to do all of it – together. What a gift to have these days to grant us help and hope. 

We might also admit that these holidays take a toll. They ask a lot of us: vulnerability, accountability and real soul searching. If we’ve recently lost a loved one, these holidays can be especially harsh. I know. The heart hurts and we miss them dearly during this sacred season especially. 

Sukkot comes as a great relief. We could say that Sukkot is the antidote we seek in the middle of Tishrei. It is light and upbeat. We go outside. We bask in the beauty of the Sukkah (and KI has the most beautiful Sukkah). We look up to the vast sky above us and take in the cosmos. We hold in our hands the lulav and etrog, connecting us to the land, to each other and to our heritage. I love Sukkot. I look forward to it every year. It comes just four days after Yom Kippur, ready and waiting to counter the heaviness of Yom Kippur. 

I find the Sukkah itself to be such a powerful symbol. It is like us. It is fragile. Each one is unique. It stands in the elements year after year, still upright even after the blowing of the winds and harsh rains that can fall. That’s us. We are still here, fragile maybe but still standing, even after life’s challenges and trials. 

The Sukkah also reminds us of the journeys of our ancestors. Temporary huts, they are meant to mimic the booths our ancestors lived in as they traversed the wilderness. We remember the brave travels not only of our Israelite ancestors, but of your grandparents and mine. They endured so much. They overcame so much in their time. The Sukkah thus urges us to be brave as well and remember that we have it in us to overcome in our own time: stress, angst, harrowing news cycles, the antisemitism that continues to be far too real. We must keep going, as they did in their day, and keep going with Jewish pride.

I would love to see you as we celebrate the start of Sukkot this Friday night. Join us for this fun and festive time of year. Let yourself feel the grace and holiness of this very special time.