Tonight is the beginning of Autumn. It is also the first day of Sukkot, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.
I’m very fuzzy on Jewish celebrations. I won’t attempt to explain this one to you except it has a lot to do with harvests and feasting. And to recommend one of my very favorite foreign films ever: Ushpizin. It’s a riot.
I’m depressed about leaving summer behind (summer? what summer?) with green tomatoes on the vine and not nearly enough days of sun (I wore my sweater and SOCKS nearly the entire summer), but after reading about Sukkot a little, I realize that maybe I should be rejoicing.
I won’t tell you any more – you can research it or not, but whatever you do – rent Ushpizin and give it a watch. Maybe it’s just me, but I found it to be one of the funniest movies ever. Heartwarming funny.
Jaci Dawn 
Jaci, you’ve brought up one of my favorite subjects! I’m certainly no expert on the Seven Feasts of Israel, but I find them all fascinating. Sukkot is uniquely interesting, because observant Jews build little shelters, or booths, outside their houses, and worship and celebrate in them for the week of Tabernacles. They are created out of all different kinds of materials and are made comfortable with furnishings, and even decorations. The point is, to show trust in God to provide and to protect.
God wanted to celebrate the fact that he provided shelter for the Israelites in the wilderness, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt (Lev. 23:42-43). Yashua (Jesus) commemorated this seventh feast (John 7). It is also profoundly prophetic, as are all of the holy convocations, but I won’t go into that because my comment will get too long. (Zechariah 14:16-19 and Isaiah 2). I can’t wait for Jerusalem, the City of Peace, to finally be at peace!
I loved Ushpizin, too, along with Fiddler on the Roof and Yentl.
Thank you Laurelle! I love your insight. There’s so much I don’t know and I just scratch the surface on. Don’t you think the Feast of the Tabernacles would be a really exciting celebration to observe? (We could all go camping – yippee!!) At least *I* would find it fun.
Yeah! So would *I*, lol!
Would you believe that the Israelis are a nation of campers? You should see the traffic out of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on weekends and holidays, thousands of little cars all stuffed to the roof with camping equipment and food, all heading to the beaches and desert and campgrounds to pitch their tents and cook out. The air is full of the sense of freedom and redolent of barbecue. I’m sure that the Jewish people have camping out in their DNA!
It’s also quite amazing, for such a tiny country, how many National Parks and Forests Israel has. It’s a testament to to how much they love and value their Land.
That is so wonderful to know! I must have some Jewish DNA because I love to camp. 🙂 Thank you so much!