The Shalom Center - Sukkot

The Sukkah & the World Trade Center

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:11:19 -0400

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow*
(Written on Sept.12, 2001).

When the Jewish community celebrates the harvest festival, we build "sukkot."

What is a "sukkah"? Just a fragile hut with a leafy roof, the most vulnerable of houses. Vulnerable in time, where it lasts for only a week each year. Vulnerable in space, where its roof must be not only leafy but leaky -- letting in the starlight, and gusts of wind and rain.

In the evening prayers, we plead with God -- "Ufros alenu sukkat shlomekha" -- "Spread over all of us Your sukkah of shalom."

Why a sukkah?-- Why does the prayer plead to God for a "sukkah of shalom" rather than God's "tent" or "house" or "palace" of peace?

Hoshanot [Poetic Prayers] for a Planet in Danger

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:10:24 -0400

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, 10/6/2004

[There are notes after these poetic prayers to explain the history, meaning, and practice of the Hoshanot, but please before absorbing that information let yourself dance with the poetic words by Reb Zalman. Then absorb the background information, and after that, read the Hoshanot again, with the background information supporting them. — AW]

For the first day (Tuesday):

Hosha'na for the sake of
the Aura of life
the Beams of Light
the Clearness of Light
the Dynamics of Light
the Effulgence of Light
the diFfraction of light

Sukkot: THE Season of Our Joy, the Festival of Earth & Rain

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:29:18 -0400

By Rabbis David Seidenberg & Arthur Waskow

Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival, is traditionally called THE season of our joy. (My book about the Jewish festival cycle, Seasons of Our Joy, treats them all; but Sukkot is preeminently joyful.)

Joy comes from a fruitful harvest, when hard human work – joined to the soil, the sun, the rain, and the seed that human beings do not make, gives us physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance and the time to refrain from hard work so as to take joy in the One Who is present in all these aspects of the harvest. Sukkot also looks forward to the coming of the rainy season in the Land of Israel that will make possible the next harvest.

Communal Sukkot Celebration: Reconnecting with the Earth

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:27:43 -0400

Rose Kowel, Nicole Luna, Lauren Pack
Course on Eco-Judaism, Hebrew Union College, NYC
(Rabbi Arthur Waskow)
Festival Project: June 17, 2008

1. Decorating the sukkah/area with quotes, sustainable decorating alternatives for the children

Decorating options/resources to have available for kids : squash stamps, water soluable paints, recycled paper for paper chains.

For Sukkot quotes: See Appendix 1

2. Topic intro and local vegetarian buffet

The leader will lead the Hamotzi and introduce it by explaining that this prayer thanks God for not only the product (bread) but also the origins and the process that goes into our food.

THE PEACE OF ABRAHAM, HAGAR, & SARAH: Sharing Sacred Seasons, Fall 2007

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 05:14:35 -0400

THE PEACE OF ABRAHAM, HAGAR, & SARAH:
SHARING SACRED SEASONS, 2007

Shalom, salaam, peace! --

In the fall of 2007, several sacred seasons of the Abrahamic faiths will come together. At a moment of history when religious conflict and violence have reemerged bearing lethal dangers for each other and our planet, God has given our spiritual and religious traditions an unusual gift of sacred time.

Let us celebrate this rare confluence of THE PEACE OF ABRAHAM, HAGAR, & SARAH by praying and learning with each other and by acting together to –-

SEEK PEACE, PURSUE JUSTICE,
FEED THE POOR, HEAL THE EARTH,