Chaverim,

Have you ever wondered why Yom Kippur is the best-attended day of the entire Jewish year? So many Jews belong to synagogues, send their kids to religious school, and only show up on the most serious and intense day of our ritual calendar.  It really tells you something about the Jewish people!

Why, for example, isn’t sukkot the holiday that brings in the greatest number of people?  Sukkot is one of our most joyful, stress-free, meaning-rich holidays, and the majority of Jews miss it entirely.  After we all survive the roller-coaster of emotions that we experience on Yom Kippur, Sukkot is like a Divine gift, a sweet little ritual dessert to reward us for all of our hard spiritual work during the high holidays.  It does take effort to put up a sukkah, but it is worth it every time.  The weather is always ideal for sitting outside for a meal with friends, for reading, even for sleeping on a warm fall night.

In honor of this wonderful harvest festival, I want to invite you to our second-annual drumming in the sukkah, on Saturday night, September 29th (this upcoming Saturday!) from 6:30-8:30.  Our Shir Joy drummer, Debbie Fier, will bring lots of drums and rhythms, I will bring songs and chants and we will provide drinks and dessert.  This evening is open to the whole community and children are encouraged to come!  Our sukkah was filled with beats and songs and great energy last year.  It promises to be even more wonderful in year two.

The cost is $10 for adults and children are free.  We will do havdalah in the sukkah to end Shabbat together.  I hope to see you all there!

Cantor Chabon