Solidarity in the Sukkah

Earlier this month, our Jewish neighbors celebrated Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. This past Sunday night and Monday, September 20-21, they observed Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. And this Friday, September 25, they will begin the celebration of Sukkot, which will last through October 2.

I think it is so important for Christians to understand and appreciate the basics of other religions. For one, doing so can offer new insights into our own faith. Given that Jesus was Jewish, knowing the fundamentals of Judaism can provide glimpses into his words and actions. But most importantly, this knowledge makes us more loving and respectful neighbors, as Jesus calls us to be.

My friends Rabbi Becca Diamond and Rabbi David Jaffe are the co-rabbis at Temple Kol Tikvah in Davidson. We are part of a group of local clergy that gather monthly to break bread together, with the aim of building interfaith relationships and collaboration in our community. I have learned a lot from them over the years. I was honored to attend their installation a few years ago, and a baby naming ceremony for their first child this past spring. Next week, our clergy group will gather for lunch in the Temple’s sukkah, a temporary hut constructed for use by the community during the annual harvest festival. These experiences have enriched my life tremendously, and I am grateful for friendships that have deepened my understanding of what it means to love one’s neighbor.

Below, you will find some basic information about the three recent Jewish holidays I mentioned earlier. The source for this information is the website for Reform Judaism. Perhaps you will learn something you didn’t already know that might help you to be a more informed and welcoming neighbor.

Yours in Christ,

Carmen

What is Rosh HaShanah?

Rosh HaShanah (literally, “Head of the Year”) is the Jewish New Year, a time of prayer, self-reflection, and t’shuvah (repentance). It begins the ten days of Yamim Nora-im (“Days of Awe” or “High Holidays”), culminating with Yom Kippur (the “Day of Atonement”). Observed worldwide with synagogue services and home rituals, the holiday emphasizes reviewing the past year and committing to growth in the year ahead.

Falling on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which corresponds to September or October, customs associated with the holiday include sounding the shofar (ram’s horn), sharing round challah (braided egg bread), and eating apples with honey to represent a sweet New Year.

What is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement” and refers to the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance. Part of the High Holidays, which also includes Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

Yom Kippur is the moment in Jewish time when we dedicate our mind, body, and soul to reconciliation with our fellow human beings, ourselves, and God. As the New Year begins, we commit to self-reflection and inner change. As both seekers and givers of pardon, we turn first to those whom we have wronged, acknowledging our sins and the pain we have caused them. We are also commanded to forgive, to be willing to let go of any resentment we feel towards those who have committed offenses against us. Only then can we turn to God and ask for forgiveness. As we read in the Yom Kippur liturgy, “And for all these, God of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us atonement.”

What is Sukkot?

Sukkot is one of the most joyful festivals on the Jewish calendar. “Sukkot,” a Hebrew word meaning “booths” or “huts,” refers to the Jewish festival of giving thanks for the fall harvest. The holiday has also come to commemorate the 40 years of Jewish wandering in the desert after the giving of the Torah atop Mt. Sinai.

Also called Z’man Simchateinu (Season of Our Rejoicing), Sukkot is the only festival associated with an explicit commandment to rejoice. Sukkot is celebrated five days after Yom Kippur on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, and is marked by several distinct traditions. One, which takes the commandment to dwell in booths literally, is to erect a sukkah, a small, temporary booth or hut. Sukkot (in this case, the plural of sukkah) are commonly used during the seven-day festival for eating, entertaining and even for sleeping.

Our sukkot have open walls and open doors, and this encourages us to welcome as many people as we can. We invite family, friends, neighbors, and community to rejoice, eat, and share what we have with each other.

Another name for Sukkot is Chag HaAsif (Festival of the Ingathering), representing the importance in Jewish life of giving thanks for the bounty of the earth.