Crossing the Yarden

By Yarden Frankl

Sukkot in Neve Daniel

Although it has been several weeks since Sukkot, the holiday was so special for us that I wanted to tell you about our experience. Despite my many fond memories of Sukkot in Maryland, nothing could have prepared me for Sukkot in Israel, in Neve Daniel. And because the Chag is only one day, the holiday was much more intense for us.

I was quite pleased with myself by building my entire Sukkah right after Yom Kippur. Throughout the Yishuv, you could hear hammers banging away as hundreds of Sukkot were built. On Erev Sukkot, I woke up and went to look at my handiwork. What a shock! The wind had completely knocked it down! Neve Daniel is a very windy place and our house is in one of the windiest spots. In fact, I measured (I have a toy) the wind velocity at 35 MPH!

While I was standing there gazing sadly at the remains of my handiwork, my neighbor came over and after looking at the mess that was once my sukkah said "Ain Beya." He ducked into his house and returned with a very impressive power drill. As I stood nervously by, he proceeded to drill holes into not just the walls of my house but also his own! When he had finished bolting my sukkah to the houses, he patted me on the shoulder and said, "no more problem with the wind!" Instead of billowing cotton sheets, my sukkah now had walls of Jerusalem stone!

The rest of the day I spent running errands (buy some challot, pick up a lulav, stuff skach in the car, etc.) Interestingly enough, I purchased an entire set of Arba Minim for 60 shkolim, which included a nifty plastic carrying case. In America, for the same amount, all you can get IS the plastic case (with Efes Minim inside).

Night. "How beautiful are your tents, oh Yakov." It is hard to put into words the wonder of seeing an entire community move into Sukkot. There are sukkot of all sizes, of wood, metal, stone, and canvas. Some houses have separate sukkot for sleeping. Whenever the kids quieted down a little, you could hear singing coming from all over. My son and his friends disappeared, and I did not catch up with them till after midnight. We ate in our own Sukka but went to a friend's to sleep! As I fell asleep, I could still hear voices, songs, laughter, etc.

In the morning, the Bet Knesset was full and the fragrant smell of the Etrogim permeated everything. Seeing the Hoshanas with so many people was truly an experience. When I pointed my lulav straight ahead, it faced Jerusalem, to the right – the Dead Sea, behind me – Hevron, to the left – the coastal plain of Israel and the Mediterranean. Up to Shemayin and down at the holy earth of Israel.

It was truly a Zman Simchatenu, here is our blessed nation.

© 2005, 2006 Yarden Frankl