Chag Sameach! Sukkot Traditions From Across USY

Hi USY! The Religion/Education International General Board is REL/EDiculously excited to showcase more family traditions! For Sukkot, USYers from across North America talked about their traditions! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Lily Selznick, Rel/Ed IGB 2019

“My favorite Sukkot tradition is gathering in the Sukkah with my family friends. Every year, the kids dress in pajamas and adorn the Sukkah with homemade paper chains and other crafts. We look forward to enjoying the outdoors and one another’s company on this holiday every year!” – Lauren Krasilovsky, Far West

“Chag Sameach USY!!!! On Sukkot, my family goes to my shul’s Sukkah. We sing songs, eat dinner, and gather as a community! Also, at school we daven one of my favorite services, HALLEL! Lastly, here is the link to my favorite Sukkot song!” – Sam Gilman, METNY

“Oftentimes Sukkot falls on my brother’s birthday, so when it does we add a little cupcake decoration to our Sukkah. It’s a nice addition that always makes our Sukkah feel more like home. I can’t wait to celebrate again this year : )!” – Jacob Kline, CHUSY

“Every year for Sukkot, my family and I gather to build our Sukkah. While the base is built into our deck, we hang fruit, posters, add schach, and additional lights. We spend as many meals in the Sukkah as weather permits, inviting friends over to spend time with us when we can. Fun fact: When the Pope visited Philly during Sukkot a few years ago, he stayed at the seminary that we can view from our deck, and thus, our Sukkah. We tried to open our Sukkah to him but he declined our invitation (creative license has been taken).” – Ben Miller, Mizrach

“One of my most favorite traditions during Sukkot is my USY chapter’s Sukkah building event. On a Sunday morning after Hebrew school, we grab every decoration we can find, whether it was made years ago or just this year, and bring them to our garden area outside. We work for three hours to make our Sukkah the best it can be, and we always make sure to take a panoramic picture of each of us in a different place in the Sukkah. Once we’re all done, we usually celebrate with the best event of the year–a “Sushi in the Sukkah” program the following week.” – Demi Fine, EMTZA