Sukkot

Sukkot at Beit Am 5784

This year Sukkot (our harvest holiday of booths) begins in the evening of Friday, September 29th. The Reli-
gious Affairs Committee (RAC) is providing a number of opportunities for you to participate in the Chag

(holiday) that we hope will be both fun and meaningful.
• You are invited to help erect the sukkah on Thursday, September 28th starting at 5:00 pm.
• An announcement will be sent as opportunities arise for families to help decorate the Beit Am sukkah, so
stay tuned!
• The RAC will sponsor a Yom Tov candle lighting in the sukkah on Saturday, September 30th and will pro-
vide desserts. Please bring a beverage of your choice to share. Stay tuned for more details.
• The sukkah will be open for members to eat/sit/reflect in. Members may also shake the lulav and etrog
from October 1st until October 6th (they are not shaken on Shabbat).
• Rabbi Phil will be available for some lunches in the sukkah.
• Sukkah tour: If you build your own sukkah and would like community members to stop by, please visit
this website: http://sukkah-hop5784.paperform.co/ to indicate your address and time of availability. This
is a great way to meet other Beit Amers and share the joy of our tradition.
• You are invited to help take down the sukkah on Monday, October 9th starting at 5:00 pm.
• Ushpizin: When we invite our mythic ancestors or guests into our sukkah, our tradition teaches us to not
only invite them in name, but also provide food for those in need in the ushpizin’s stead. If you would like
to bring canned or packaged food in the spirit of this teaching, we will have a box for collection.

Sukkah Visiting Guidelines:

The building may be locked when you visit.  The building should only be accessed to use the restroom, other common spaces of the building are closed. 

 Lunch is "pack-in pack-out". That is, be sure to bring everything you need for lunch and then pack it out again (along with any trash).Bring your mask in case you encounter others at the Beit Am building.

More ideas:

• Bring a decoration for the Sukkah!
• Take a selfie in the Sukkah and send it to vegasystems@gmail.com so we can post them or put them in the newsletter!
  
• Wave the lulav and etrog while you visit.
  
  Videos
  • Wave the Lulav with Rabbi Phil: https://youtu.be/YgYej8hWtKc
    
  • How to Assemble Your Lulav: https://youtu.be/e4U6niBAA34 (Rabbi Eve Posen, Congregation Neveh Shalom in Portland)
  • How to Say the Blessings and Shake the Lulav: https://youtu.be/RZ5t-t-AJ7E (Rabbi Sari Laufer, Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles)
• try building a sukkah at home.  Have one?  send a picture/selfie to vegasystems@gmail.com
videos
• Sukkah Building in the Pandemic Era: https://youtu.be/IghfWrRpc6c (Rabbi Aviva Richman, Hadar Institute)

Services:

• Sukkot morning service info: link tbd

More Resources: You may find some of these materials helpful in your celebration of Sukkot

• Reconstructing Judaism - Virtual Sukkot Box
• Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) - We Are All Sukkah-Dwellers
• Reform Judaism - Sukkot and Simchat Torah Social Justice Guide
• Rabbi David Seidenberg (Renewal) - The Eco-torah of Sukkot
• The Shalom Center - Share Sukkot: Green and Grow the Vote Resources

Note:

This page is under development and will be updated over the coming days.