Sukkah

10 Sukkot Favorites

rjstreets

Signs of the Sukkot holiday can be found before Yom Kippur,

but as the fast day ends serious holiday preparations begin.

Here are the ten best ways to tell the Sukkot holiday is approaching:

1. Sukkot begin to fill outdoor porches,

open spaces,

  any 3 walls not under a tree or overhang is covered with schach, becomes a sukkah.

2. Stands selling colorful decorations for the sukkah pop up all over.

3. Number three is lulav shopping.

It can be done in a supermarket,

but for serious consumers

there are special markets for the arba minim.

Rows of etrogim

and piles of hadasim and aravot.

Each item is carefully

examined and studied

for perfect specimens.

4. Finding the right holiday clothing is a must.

5. Family reunions for the holiday are a good reason to smile.

6. Shopping and cooking for all those guests becomes a major task.

7. Police security check in Machane Yehuda market, the shuk goes to the dogs.

8. With thousands of extra visitors and shoppers, traffic jams are a regular sight.

9. An Elvis impersonator singing on a shopping strip is not a regular sight,

just a sign that you never know what to expect in Jerusalem.

10. Recently, this sign had been at another intersection, then reappeared here,

“To all!

The holy Jewish people have a responsibility of unity

and unconditional love

please!”

  I do not know who posted it, but the message is an interesting one.

Random acts of violence have increased over the last week.

However, for most people it is hard not to notice that the holiday season is here.

Chag Sameach

Happy holidays!

Illegal Building

rjstreets

Two days of Rosh Hashanah followed by Shabbat meant three days

 with no internet or news updates, so while there were many reports

of the Quartet’s disgust with Israel for building in Gilo,

I missed seeing any mention of their dismay with the Palestinian Authority as

 Kassam rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel on the first day of Rosh Hashanah

and the Israeli air force had to preempt another terrorist strike on the second day.

Three days of  holiday meals and city garbage bins were over flowing.

After Shabbat, people could be found walking or jogging very late at night.

Changing the clocks back to standard time provided an extra hour to exercise,

but with the early sunset, there is not as much time to play outside after school.

 US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is visiting Jerusalem;

I wonder if  he noticed these “buildings” in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park?

While Tel Aviv has taken down its “tent cities'”

in this Jerusalem park one can find groups of tents,

a private “suburban” site,

and an open kitchen area.

Today a couple was moving a couch out of the park,

but some of the “buildings” look like they are ready for the Sukkot holiday.

Is there another “tent city” filling this parking lot?

No…these are supplies to build sukkot for the upcoming holiday,

when thousands of illegal “buildings” will be popping up in every open space.

For the Rosh Hashanah holiday, all regular soldiers were all on active duty,

with many stationed far away from home.

Thank you to the IDF for making it safe

 for the rest of us to celebrate all the holidays with our families.