Walking across campus, you might have noticed that there’s a giant, um, wooden box on the grassy bit outside Olin Library. You might have wondered what it was, or you might have smiled because you already knew, or maybe you were in such a rush to get to class that you didn’t even notice it.
But it’s not just totally random – it’s a sukkah! “Sukkah” is the Hebrew word for “hut” or “booth.” Traditionally, a sukkah is a temporary booth built for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. It is also traditionally decorated with fruits and other autumny goodies, because Sukkot is a harvest festival, and so the decorations are totes appropriate. This year (like last year), Physical Plant was awesome enough to build the sukkah itself (thanks Phys. Plant!) but students decorated it.
During Sukkot, you’re supposed to hang out in the sukkah, eat in the sukkah, even sleep in the sukkah. It’s a mitzvah! A sukkah must be built with enough openings in the roof so that you can see the sky from inside, so if you sleep in it at night, you are open to nature and can see the stars. Sukkot starts tonight (Oct. 6) this year, so it’s time to make the most of this “hut!”
So this is an invitation to the rest of the campus to join us! On MONDAY, OCT. 6th at 6 p.m., there’ll be a PIZZA IN THE HUT event so you can come hang out and eat in the sukkah. We’ll have real delicious pizza. (Thankfully, this isn’t a fasting holiday.) It’s open to everyone, you don’t have to be Jewish, so stop on by! It’ll be a party.
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