Only in Tamarac – A “Sukkah Mobile”

Members of the Chabad of Tamarac pose outside their “Sukkah Mobile” near Publix.

By: Sharon Aron Baron

Just spotted at Publix grocery store in Tamarac – a Sukkah Mobile!

Why just set up a sukkah in the privacy of your home or synagogue?  Just do what the members of the Chabad of Tamarac do and put it on wheels.

Just some background about Sukkot:  Sukkot is an eight-day harvest holiday that arrives during the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Tishrei is filled with many other holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Simchat Torah. Sukkot falls five days after Yom Kippur and is also known as the Festival of Booths.

Sukkot hearkens back to times in ancient Israel when Jews would build huts near the edges of their fields during the harvest season. One of these dwellings was called a “sukkah” and “sukkot” is the plural form of this Hebrew word. These dwellings not only provided shade but allowed the workers to maximize the amount of time they spent in the fields, harvesting their food more quickly as a result.

This Sukkah Mobile sighting started as I was walking into Publix yesterday and noticed two Jewish boys standing outside with a lulav and etrog.  The etrog is a kind of citrus (related to a lemon), while the lulav is made of three myrtle twigs, two willow twigs and a palm frond which is the lulav. During Sukkot, the lulav and etrog are waved together while reciting special blessings.  I walked up to them as did several other people (remember this is South Florida here!) and asked for a blessing.   The boy looked at me first and asked me point-blank “You’re Jewish?”  “Yes I’m Jewish”, I said.  I’m sure I look nothing like the traditional Jewish women he sees day-to-day!   We recited the Hebrew blessing together and waved the lulav and etrog.

I proceeded to do my grocery shopping but had to take a photo of them and their Sukkah Mobile.  They were happy to oblige and even had me take a photo with their camera.

The Chabad of Tamarac is located at 8441 W Commercial Blvd Tamarac FL 33351 954-709-9674 .  www.chabadoftamarac.org or rmme@yahoo.com

Sukkah information provided by: By Ariela Pelaia, About.com Guide