Sukkot

What is Sukkot?

Sukkot takes place five days after Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and is named after the huts/booths in which Jews are supposed to ‘live’ throughout the celebration. It is known as a pilgrimage festival- these were holidays set aside in biblical times for Jews to travel to the temple in Jerusalem. The first and last days of the festival are considered festival days when no work should be done. The Jewish community is very diverse; different Jews will mark the festival slightly differently with varying levels of observance.

When is Sukkot?

Sukkot takes place from sundown on Friday 29^th September to sundown on Saturday 7^th October for most Jewish communities outside of Israel. The festival ends at sundown on Friday 6^th October for some Liberal Jewish communities and for Jews living in Israel. Although fixed in the Jewish calendar, the festival’s exact date varies because Jewish months are based on the lunar year.

Why is there Sukkot?

The festival of Sukkot is an autumnal harvest festival and commemorates the wandering in the desert by the Israelites for 40 years before reaching the Ancient Land of Israel. Sukkot observances vary, but some staff may build a ‘Sukkah’ in their garden, eating ceremonial foods, and attend Synagogue services.

As soon as Yom Kippur ends, many Jews start building a ‘Sukkah’. A Sukkah is a flimsy structure with at least three sides. Whilst the sides can be made of any material, the roof must be made of a natural material such as thatch or branches to provide protection from the sun yet also allow the stars at night to be seen. It is tradition to spend as much time as possible in the Sukkah including eating all your meals there and some Jews may sleep there too. At the start of the festival, Jews in their Sukkahs and in the synagogue will hold and shake the ‘four species of plants’ which are palm, myrtle, willow and citron. There are many communal services throughout Sukkot held in Synagogue; you can find out more about these here.

Whilst many Jews will not work on the first and last days of the festival, they will also try to eat meals and spend as much time in the Sukkah in between. This means that for many Jews, Sukkot is a festival that will require a lot of flexibility from employers to allow them to take part in the festival fully.

From our expert:

“Sukkot is probably my favourite festival! Each year we build a Sukkah in our small garden and have friends over to spend evenings in it, eating traditional foods and enjoying each other’s company. I particularly like the communal and celebratory feel of the festival. A few years ago I was in Israel during the festival of Sukkot and it was amazing to see all the Sukkahs built on people’s balconies and all along the beach!”

Ariel Chapman, Senior Inclusion & Diversity Consultant

Sukkot facts you should know

Here are a few quick Sukkot facts to know:

• Sukkot lasts for 7 or 8 days (depending on denomination and location)
• It is an autumnal harvest festival and a festival commemorating the Israelites wandering in the desert before reaching the Ancient Land of Israel
• Many Jews will build small huts in their gardens called ‘Sukkahs’ and they will try to spend as much time as possible in them
• It is a joyous festival with a strong focus on communal prayer and celebrations
• Many Jews will avoid work on the first and last days of the festival and may require time off. As they may wish to spend as much time as possible in the Sukkah, Jewish colleagues may need flexibility around lunchbreaks and start times.

How to support Jewish colleagues in the workplace

There are numerous ways to celebrate and acknowledge Jewish colleagues at work, including:

• Amplify the voices of your Jewish colleagues – this can be done by inviting Jewish colleagues to speak at events and inviting Jewish colleagues to write blogs sharing their perspectives, making it easier for everyone to speak at meetings.
• Educate yourself and your teams on antisemitism.
• Use the bitesize inclusion toolkit to facilitate conversations about race and religion inclusion.
• Contact your account manager if you’re a member and need more support. If you’re not yet a member, get in touch today to see how we can help.