“Israel will be the focus of everything we do over Succot and always has been,” United Synagogue director of communications Richard Verber said. In addition to their usual Succot services, US shuls are adding tehillim (psalms) to every service to pray for the return of the hostages and peace in the Jewish state.
[Missing Credit]
“One of the challenges United Synagogue shuls face is the balance between the obligation to celebrate on Yom Tov and remembering the tragedy,” said Verber.
“As a result, our shuls will be dedicating some of the hakafot – dancing circles with the Sefer Torahs on Simchat Torah – in memory of the fallen. We’re leaving chairs empty in our succahs for a hostage and praying they will be free to join us.”
At Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue (EHRS), this year’s Succot theme is resilience. The community was asked to send in photos of family members they missed during Covid, and this year’s succah will be filled with images of Jewish communities around the world keeping their community going.
[Missing Credit]
“Since October 7, I have spoken to journalists asking, ‘Is your community no longer coming to synagogue?’” said EHRS senior Rabbi Mark Goldsmith. “Exactly the opposite has happened; there’s a sense now that more than ever we need to gather as a community. One thing we are so aware of is that Succot was literally one week before the Hamas attack. So, our succah celebrates the resilience of Jewish communities around the world this past year, with photos from them dotted around, and expresses hope for the hostages still in Gaza. The theme is ‘we will dance again’ – Am Yisrael Chai.”
This year’s Succot will also be marked differently by Rabbi Jonathan Romain, who is adding poignancy when he hosts family and friends at the succah in his garden.
He said: “I will make this year different by offering them the chance to wave the lulav, not just in the traditional six directions – left, right, back, forward, up, down, showing that God is everywhere – but to do a special October 7 waving to take account of the attack and the remaining hostages: left for fear, right for loneliness, back for sorrow, forward for anger, down for death and up for hope… to think of each one as they wave and to give physical expression to them.”
Still, in keeping with one of the principal obligations for Succot – to be happy and rejoice, there is celebration, too.
JW3 is determined to “look ahead” as it brings the community together to celebrate with the UK’s largest public succah, including a pop-up restaurant.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet of St Albans Masorti Synagogue can claim to have three succahs. As well as his shul’s traditional succah, the community decorates the inside of the synagogue as if it were a succah (a “Shulcah”). And Rabbi Zagoria-Moffet decks his own in Halloween décor: the “Spookah”.
[Missing Credit]
Over at Chabad Islington, the only Jewish community space in the borough, children are building an intergalactic space- station succah.
Teacher at the Orot Cheder Laurence Stein coaches Evie Burkoff in the finer points of lulav waving[Missing Credit]
And at some of Jewish Care’s community centres, apartments and care homes, members are enjoying a special l’chaim served from a cocktail trolley, including an etrog liqueur to be sipped after this blessing: “May this etrog liqueur bring us sweetness like the fruits of the holiday, and may our lives be filled with zest, joy, and blessings as bright as this citrus.”
