If you’re reading this, then you’ve survived the Days of Awe. Excellent. L'shana haba'ah b'Yerushalayim! (Next year in Jerusalem!)

While the High Holidays are behind us, the holiday season has just gotten started.  

Sukkot, a.k.a. z’man simchatenu (time of our joy), starts Monday night. The Torah actually commands us to rejoice during this week -- and I, for one, am ready for some rejoicing. 

Our lulav is ordered; the gefilte fish is in the freezer; and for my family, this Sunday is

“Sukkah building Sunday.” Some like to get started with at least the preliminary stages of Sukkah building immediately after breaking the Yom Kippur fast so as to go from mitzvah to mitzvah. Great idea, but a little ambitious for us – we’ve never been able to pull that off. Some, especially the synagogues, need some extra time and already have sukkahs up. Again – too ambitious for us. The Sunday immediately preceding the holiday is our time. 

Sukkah building is an event in and of itself. For our sukkah, there is shlepping, holding, bracketing, bolting, and decorating. My wife project manages while our kids and friends provide the labor. I have found that my own skills are better served in the kitchen, working on brunch for the team.

Let the rejoicing begin. My gefilte soup recipe is available upon request.   

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