How to build a Sukkah - the basics
A Sukkah is a temporary hut built for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. The holiday commemorates the time when the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years after leaving Egypt. During this time, they lived in temporary shelters called sukkahs. Today, Jews build sukkahs as a reminder of those times and to celebrate the harvest.
Building a sukkah is a fun and meaningful way to celebrate Sukkot. Here are some basics you need to know on how to build your own:
- The walls can be made of anything but the roof cannot and it must have a minimum of three sides
- The roof is the s’chach and is what makes the sukkah the Sukkah
- The roof must be of a natural product (anything that grows out of the ground and that has been cut from its source. ( you can’t use an overhanging tree but branches cut from one can be used)
- Steel bars cannot be used
- Bamboo poles are popular
- Tall rushes that grow near marsh ponds are perfect for the roof covering
- The sukkah must have more shade than sun with a view of the stars
- Plastic can cover the roof if it rains but you should tip it slightly as if it rains pools of water will gather and if the rain is heavy it can make a huge mess if it should fall through!
- A floor covering adds comfort to the Sukkah and furniture can be place inside for entertainment.
- Decorating the Sukkah is fun and can be a joint family project – The Kosher Hub have a lovely range
Some tips for the Sukkah
Bamboo poles are sturdy and easy to purchase from large hardware stores
Wooden slats or one by twos are also permitted as a base upon which to resat the roof
Hemelock/pine and tall rushes are the best
Branches of trees will dry and wither after a few days and not keep that green fresh look so find greenery that will stay green for longer.
A popular food for Sukkot
Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals the other two are Pesach and Shavuot but unlike Shavuot it lasts 8 days like Passover.
Sukkot is a holiday for entertaining especially for inviting guests who don’t have a Sukkah. Foods that can be bought out to the Sukkah all at once are the best, like casseroles, stuffed Jewish cabbage, beef Bourguignon , boned chicken breasts and kugels.
Get your FREE recipe for
Stuffed Jewish Cabbage – HERE
Sukkot Prayers
Candles are lit in the sukkah which you need to take extra care over as there is wood, leaves and paper around for the decorations which can be highly flamable.
The blessing card can be found HERE and on the first two nights the Shehecheyanu blessing is added.
When eating in the sukkah the Kiddush is recited. On the second night and the last two nights of the festival the order is reversed, the Kiddush followed by the Shehecheyanu followed by the leyshev ba’sukkah.
The leyshev ba’sukkah blessing is recited at every meal eaten in the sukkah for the next seven days.
