Sukkot is one of my favorite fall holidays. The fall feels like a shift to being more introspective. Maybe it's the darkness coming earlier or the longer shadows, or just wanting a rest from the summer sun. Whatever the reason it's a great time for sharing a meal with friends and family in a hut. I love celebrating this holiday with my children. Last year I built the main structure of the sukkah for them to decorate, but this year my daughter's 3rd grade class did the building. It was so incredible to see the children work together to build the sukkah.
After building the simple main structure with 2X4s, we gathered herbs from the garden to bind together to make the schach for the roof. It made the sukkah smell so wonderfully fragrant.
Some of the kids wrapped twine around the posts of one side of the sukkah and wove corn stalks to make a wall. We tacked fabric on another side to make a back wall. Each child chose which part they wanted to do and had great ideas of how to finish it. We then shared a snack of apples, pumpkins seeds and pomegranate seeds. They were so proud of their achievements.
Each class was welcome to use the sukkah as they wished. The kindergarten class made paintings of their favorite foods, carrots, mangoes, tomatoes and hung them from the top. It added some beautiful color to the sukkah.
They too shared a snack in the sukkah. What a wonderful way to celebrate the coming of the fall.
Happy Sukkot!!
