How many days till Sukkot?

How many days till Sukkot?

A summary

Sukkot is one of the historic Pilgrimage Festivals on which those Israelites who could were summed to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Israel. The holiday is also spiritual as it reinforces abandonment of materialism and focus on nationhood and hospitality. During Sukkot, those who celebrate sleep and spend time in their sukkah, do prayers in the Synagogue, and tie together 3 branches and one type of fruit (the so called four species) and wave them each day.

The holiday lasts seven days in Israel and eight days in other parts of the world where Sukkot is celebrated.

Date and days to Sukkot

The calendar date and days to go until Sukkot are as follows:

What is Sukkot?

Sukkot, also spelled Succoth or Succot, is a Jewish holiday that occurs in the fall, typically in September or October, and it is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in Judaism, along with Passover and Shavuot. Sukkot is a joyous and harvest festival that lasts for seven days, with an additional eighth day, known as Shemini Atzeret, immediately following it.

What is special about Sukkot?

Key aspects of Sukkot include:

• The Sukkah: During Sukkot, Jewish families build a temporary outdoor structure called a sukkah. This sukkah is typically made with a roof of plant material, such as palm leaves, through which the stars can be seen at night. The walls can be made from various materials, but they should be sturdy enough to withstand the wind. Families eat their meals in the sukkah, and some even sleep there as a way to commemorate the temporary dwellings used by the Israelites during their wanderings in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt.
• Sukkot Four Species (Arba Minim): Another central observance of Sukkot involves the “Four Species” – a set of plants: an etrog (citron), a lulav (palm frond), three hadassim (myrtle branches), and two aravot (willow branches). These are held together and waved in a specific ritual during Sukkot services, symbolizing unity and gratitude for the harvest.
• Sukkot Hakafot: In some Jewish traditions, there are processions known as “hakafot” that take place in synagogues during Sukkot. Participants circle the synagogue, often holding the Four Species, while singing and rejoicing.
• Sukkot Feasting and Celebration: Sukkot is a time of joy and celebration. Families and communities come together to share festive meals in the sukkah, often featuring traditional foods and dishes made from the fall harvest.
• Sukkot Hospitality: It is a common custom during Sukkot to invite guests and even strangers into the sukkah as a way of promoting hospitality and unity.
• Sukkot Spiritual Themes: Sukkot is associated with themes of gratitude for the harvest, dependence on God’s protection, and the impermanence of physical dwellings compared to the eternal shelter of God’s presence.
• Sukkot Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah: The holiday of Shemini Atzeret, which immediately follows Sukkot, is a day of solemn assembly and reflection. Simchat Torah, celebrated on the same day in Israel and the day after outside Israel, marks the end of the annual cycle of reading the Torah and the beginning of a new cycle. During Simchat Torah, Torah scrolls are joyously paraded and danced with in synagogues.

Sukkot is a time when Jewish communities come together to celebrate the harvest, show gratitude, and reflect on the shelter and protection provided by God. It is a holiday filled with symbolism, joy, and communal gatherings.

Frequently asked questions about Sukkot

More information about Sukkot can be found here.

All days and dates are based on Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5)