Sukkot (huts) סוכות is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated on the 15th day of Tishrei – ט”ו בתשרי, תשע”ה, and lasts 7 days. It falls on Thursday October 9, 2014. Sukkot commemorates the temporary settlements of the Jewish people in the desert after the exodus from Egypt in 1313 BCE. The Sukkah is a temporary dwelling where the family eats meals with guests. A kosher Sukkah must be at least partly under the sky. The cover of a kosher Sukkah has to be made of plants, usually palm leaves, so that you can see the sky through them. Children decorate the Sukkah with pictures and paper chains.
Another tradition is to show and include the Four Species of plants during the meal. These species are: the Lulav (date palm frond), Hadass (myrtle tree branch), Aravah (willow branch) and the Etrog (a citron, a lemon-like citrus fruit).
Simchat Torah (the joy of the Torah) – Tishrei 23 – follows about a week after Sukkot, and is an especially festive day in which the very last portion of the Torah is read in the synagogue. Children dance around the Torah with flags in their hands.