Z’man Simchatenu: Meanings and Observances

Five days after Yom Kippur we begin a period of time in the Jewish calendar called Z’man Simchatenu, “the season of our joy.” The holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah constitute this season.

Sukkot celebrates the fall harvest. We express our joy on Sukkot by blessing and waving the lulav
and the etrog (above), symbols of the harvest; by building and decorating a sukkah; and by extending
hospitality to friends and family. The lulav is a combination of date palms, willows and myrtle, held together by a woven palm
branch. The etrog, or citron, is a lemon-like fruit with a wonderful citrus smell. When we recite
the blessing over the lulav and etrog, we wave them in six directions—north, south, east, west,
up, and down. This action symbolizes that we can find God and God’s blessings in any direction
we turn.

From The Jewish Parent Page of the Union for Reform Judaism