Sukkot Events at TBI

October 12, 7-9 pm
Sukkot on Tap
Enjoy free brews, schmooze & Jews in the TBI Sukkah. Sponsored by JNet Eugene (a project of TBI), a growing community for 20 & 30-something singles and couples to meet, learn & connect


Thursday, October 13

9:30 am  Sukkot Services

6:30 pm Plumbing the Depths of Sukkot with Rabbi Helen Plotkin Learn more...  FREE – donations gratefully accepted. Pre-registration appreciated; not required REGISTER


Friday, October 14

5:30 pm  Sukkot Potluck
Please bring a substantial vegetarian dish (kosher fish OK, no animal gelatin) to share:
• Main dish – last name starts with A-L
• Salad or side dish – last name starts with M-Z
Drinks provided. Dessert at the oneg following services.
Volunteers are needed for set-up before & clean up after dinner. Contact Shirley (541.485.7218 x101) to help out.

6:30 pm  Community-wide, Kid-friendly Shabbat Services 

October 15, 12:30 pm (following services)
New & Prospective Member Lunch in the Sukkah
Meet the Rabbis, learn about the TBI community and enjoy lunch in the Sukkah (or in the Social Hall in case of rain.) Service attendance not required; no RSVP needed.


Sunday, October 16
3:30 pm   Shake Your Lulav! Queer Chavurah in the Sukkah. Enjoy socializing, snacks & lulav shaking.
7:00 pm   TBI’s new Men’s Group in the Sukkah. All men welcome




October 18, 6:30 pm
Open Sukkah & Film Screening: Ushpizin
(a stop on the Eugene Sukkah Crawl: 7 days, 7 different sukkahs. One thing in common: celebrating the Jewish harvest festival called Sukkot. October 12-18)





October 19, 11:30 am
Senior Brunch, sponsored by Jewish Federation of Lane County (Please RSVP to the Federation 541-484-2541)


October 20

9:30 am  Sh'mini Atzeret Services (incl. Yizkor)
6:00 pm  Simchat Torah Celebration – live music, dance with the Torah, frozen treats from Turtle Mountain, LLC

About Sukkot

The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the temporary shelters that we dwell in during this holiday. Sukkot is also referred to as "The Feast of Tabernacles." It commemorates the shelters used by the Israelites as they wandered in the desert for forty years, dependent on G-d for their daily food. Sukkot is one of the three major pilgrimage/harvest festivals, along with Pesach and Shavuot, when offerings were brought from all corners of the land to the temple in Jerusalem. It is also known as Hag Ha'Asif, Festival of Ingathering - referring to the custom of hospitality observed in the desert, and reflected in the custom of inviting guests to share your meals in the sukkah.

What is a Sukkah?

A sukkah is a temporary shelter with at least three walls, covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind; canvas is often used in rainy regions. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough for you to fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in it - in colder climates, where sleeping in the sukkah is impossible, this mitzvah is usually fulfilled by eating all one's meals in the sukkah. The roof of the sukkah is made of material referred to as skhakh (covering).

To fulfill the commandment, skhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, or sticks. Ideally, skhakh should be left loose, laid across the top of the sukkah, not tied together or tied down. Skhakh should be placed sparsely enough that rain can get in, and the stars can be seen. If you have never eaten dinner while looking up at the stars (ok, at the clouds, in Western Oregon) through the leafy branches covering your sukkah, give it a try.

Adapted from www.jewfaq.org

Decorating your Sukkah

Like any other item used to fulfill a mitzvah, your sukkah is even better when you put some effort into making it beautiful. You can decorate your sukkah anyway you like. Here are a few suggestions:

• String party lights around the inside of the sukkah, for lighting up your evening meal. (Especially great if the stars are hidden by clouds all week!)


• Draw pictures with your children of all of the great harvest goodies you get to eat at this time of year, and hang them on the walls.


• Use items from your own garden to decorate: corn stalks and sunflowers make great skhakh, and fall vegetables such as squash, pumpkins and gourds are wonderful table decorations.


• Make your own straw ornaments to hang from the skhakh overhead.

Rent a pre-fab sukkah from TBI (local rental only; limited quantity, first-come basis), build your own, or buy one to re-use every year from companies that sell pre-fab and easy-to-assemble sukkot in a variety of sizes.