Experiencing the Feast of the Tabernacles
The Feast of the Tabernacles, known in Hebrew as Sukkot, is an autumn biblical holiday commemorating the period the Israelites lived in temporary shelters while wandering the desert after the Exodus. Beginning on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, this seven-day observance historically served as a harvest festival. Today, the Sukkot pilgrimage festival transforms Jewish communities, bringing themes of divine provision into the open air.
As you walk through local neighborhoods during the holiday, you will see temporary outdoor shelters, called Sukkot, erected on balconies and in courtyards. Observers build these structures with roofs made of natural vegetation, designed to allow a view of the stars at night. Families eat their festive meals inside the sukkah. During synagogue services, worshippers carry and wave the Four Species—the citron, palm frond, myrtle, and willow branch—as part of the daily prayers.
The holiday also draws a large Christian gathering, reflecting New Testament accounts of Jesus observing the feast in Jerusalem (John 7). Inspired by the prophetic vision in the Book of Zechariah, thousands of Christian believers gather annually to mark the biblical festival and reflect on its significance.
Visiting during this season offers a distinctive rhythm to the streets. You can hear the rustle of palm fronds in the autumn breeze and see the glow of lanterns illuminating the Sukkot each evening, experiencing a tradition that connects ancient biblical history to modern religious life.