Sukkot on the balcony
While rockets and drones of all kinds rain down on the entire country of Israel, what do the Israelis do?
Do they sink into depression?
Do they lock themselves in their “mamad” (vaults)?
They build “sukkot”, huts with roofs made of branches, in which they will eat, sleep, and invite their parents and friends for a week!
The balconies of buildings, the courtyards and sidewalks of cities are full of these frail constructions that testify to the incredible faithfulness of the people of Israel to their history and tradition, since these sukkot recall the huts in which the Hebrews resided in the desert when they left Egypt, more than three thousand years ago!
They do not hold grudges since the Sukkot festival traditionally included an expiatory rite for all the nations of the world: expiation for the arms embargo, for the UN condemnations, for the genocide trial at the ICJ!
Armed with a palm branch, two willow branches, three myrtle branches and a citron (“etrog”), they will rejoice, convinced that they have not lost their souls in the war and aware that they have preserved their values.
The Sukkot festival ends with “Simhat Torah”, the Torah festival, which will not be complete this year until the hostages return.
Marc Lévy