What: This year, the Jewish festival of Sukkot - a fall harvest festival lasting seven days - started at sundown on Friday, October 2, beginning a celebration on which the American holiday of Thanksgiving is based. KADIMA - Fairfield University's undergraduate Jewish student organization - will be erecting a sukkah in the courtyard between Donnarumma and Canisus halls to celebrate the festival.

Background: Sukkot is a time to strengthen one's resolve to help those who are in need, and to remind one of the fragility of life. Sukkot is traditionally celebrated by eating in and for some religious Jews even sleeping in a sukkah, a hut or tent-like structure that is specially constructed for the holiday.

Inside the sukkah at Fairfield, there will be a table and chairs set up along with decorations, a lulav (a palm, willow and myrtle) and etrog (a citrus fruit in the lemon family). These species are harvested in Israel during this time of year.

Who: The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, students in the Judaic Studies program and KADIMA are inviting members of the University community to use the sukkah as a lunch spot, for meditation, meetings and for small classes and discussion groups.

When: At noon on Tuesday, October 6 and at noon on Friday, October 9, Professor Ellen Umansky, Ph.D., director of the Bennett Center; Elaine Bowman, program manager; and Rabbi Debra Goldstein, program assistant; will have lunch in the sukkah and will be available to talk about the traditions surrounding it. The campus community is invited to brown-bag it with them.

Where: The Sukkah has been built in the courtyard between Canisius and Donnarumma.

Posted On: 10-05-2009 09:10 AM

Volume: 42 Number: 77