SUCCOS IN ISRAEL – 2008
Succos is a wonderful time to be in Israel. It’s not too hot, not too cold, rarely rainy, though we did get a bit, and, best of all, everyone is free of work or school, handy for play or conversation or a hug. And we all always have fun.
For those who don’t know, Succos is the holiday when observant Jews eat in the Succah, a temporary hut built with a roof that allows light, and rain if it should fall, to come through. The Tavins are well-supplied, but then they need lots of room, since all men over 13 also sleep in the Succah (women may, but don’t have to, as with the eating), and the boys under 13 fight for the privilege of doing the same.
Outside the entrance to their apartment, the Tavins have a large terrace, just a few steps above ground level, recently expanded. This is the main Succah, where meals are taken and many of the males sleep. Howie’s done a great job of designing it, even painting the inside walls and putting in a little cold-water sink at the entrance near the street.
One of the boys’ bedrooms has a removable roof which can be replaced with the required temporary, semi-open roof, so that become a second sleeping Succah, since it’s not possible to fit all the needed mattresses in the main one. And for the last few years, Howie has put up a small freestanding Succah in the garden below the apartment, suitable for two, so a couple can have some privacy.
We needed all the room, since everyone was home and even Shoshana, Dovy, and Hadassah spent most of the week there. Hadassah’s almost a year old, taking a step or two when she forgets to be leery, and scooting around the house just being happy and making everyone else so, too, as she gets into absolutely everything.
Of course it’s quite something on the rare occasions when it rains during Succos. Depending on whether it’s day or night (and it seems to rain more often at night), tables and chairs or mattresses need to be folded up or brought into shelter, and in the boys’ room Succah conversion, the every-day furnishings need to be covered with plastic. That happened twice this Succos.
So what did we do? Well, we ate. And ate. And ate. Sharon, Nechama, even the boys did some baking, and Shoshana spent one afternoon making my favorite lemon squares. And of course we ate even more at Binyomin Dovid’s birthday party.
There are only the two girls, and I like to spend time separately with each of them, and so I did – a day buying cute clothes and toys for Hadassah with Shoshana, and a visit to Yosef and Miriam’s with Nechama.
The whole family went to visit the Wall, as we always do, fighting through the crowds. Succos is one of the times when, in Biblical days, sacrifices were offered at the Temple, and so many people make a special effort to visit then.
Twice we went to see Shoshana and Dovy’s new apartment, a work in progress. It’s a bit of a bus ride from Har Nof, but it’s in a lovely area, with lots of families with young children, with the streets circling the area, so children are free to roam safely. It’s got a great playground, too!
One day most of us went with a group to Hebron, so I did get a little sightseeing in. I hadn’t been there in 37 years!
For the last Sabbath, we managed to get almost everyone (Shoshana and Dovy had a grandparents’ major anniversary to attend) off together at a moshav, sharing two cabins. We ate, played marathon games of Rummicub and Go Fish, talked, and relaxed.
And then it was time to come home. So I did.
Succos is a wonderful time to be in Israel. It’s not too hot, not too cold, rarely rainy, though we did get a bit, and, best of all, everyone is free of work or school, handy for play or conversation or a hug. And we all always have fun.
For those who don’t know, Succos is the holiday when observant Jews eat in the Succah, a temporary hut built with a roof that allows light, and rain if it should fall, to come through. The Tavins are well-supplied, but then they need lots of room, since all men over 13 also sleep in the Succah (women may, but don’t have to, as with the eating), and the boys under 13 fight for the privilege of doing the same.
Outside the entrance to their apartment, the Tavins have a large terrace, just a few steps above ground level, recently expanded. This is the main Succah, where meals are taken and many of the males sleep. Howie’s done a great job of designing it, even painting the inside walls and putting in a little cold-water sink at the entrance near the street.One of the boys’ bedrooms has a removable roof which can be replaced with the required temporary, semi-open roof, so that become a second sleeping Succah, since it’s not possible to fit all the needed mattresses in the main one. And for the last few years, Howie has put up a small freestanding Succah in the garden below the apartment, suitable for two, so a couple can have some privacy.
We needed all the room, since everyone was home and even Shoshana, Dovy, and Hadassah spent most of the week there. Hadassah’s almost a year old, taking a step or two when she forgets to be leery, and scooting around the house just being happy and making everyone else so, too, as she gets into absolutely everything.Of course it’s quite something on the rare occasions when it rains during Succos. Depending on whether it’s day or night (and it seems to rain more often at night), tables and chairs or mattresses need to be folded up or brought into shelter, and in the boys’ room Succah conversion, the every-day furnishings need to be covered with plastic. That happened twice this Succos.
So what did we do? Well, we ate. And ate. And ate. Sharon, Nechama, even the boys did some baking, and Shoshana spent one afternoon making my favorite lemon squares. And of course we ate even more at Binyomin Dovid’s birthday party.
There are only the two girls, and I like to spend time separately with each of them, and so I did – a day buying cute clothes and toys for Hadassah with Shoshana, and a visit to Yosef and Miriam’s with Nechama.
The whole family went to visit the Wall, as we always do, fighting through the crowds. Succos is one of the times when, in Biblical days, sacrifices were offered at the Temple, and so many people make a special effort to visit then.
Twice we went to see Shoshana and Dovy’s new apartment, a work in progress. It’s a bit of a bus ride from Har Nof, but it’s in a lovely area, with lots of families with young children, with the streets circling the area, so children are free to roam safely. It’s got a great playground, too!
One day most of us went with a group to Hebron, so I did get a little sightseeing in. I hadn’t been there in 37 years!
For the last Sabbath, we managed to get almost everyone (Shoshana and Dovy had a grandparents’ major anniversary to attend) off together at a moshav, sharing two cabins. We ate, played marathon games of Rummicub and Go Fish, talked, and relaxed.
And then it was time to come home. So I did.
More pictures are at http://picasaweb.google.com/sandy.kozinn/2008IsraelSuccos#
1 comment:
Hi Sandy, I'm waiting to read some blog posts about the "greats" with photos of course. :-)
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