Sukkot is a joyous time....

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam

asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu

al n'tilat lulav (Amein)

Blessed are you Adonai our God, who instructs us to take up the lulav (Amen)

Rabbi Todd welcomed the Kohavim boys and girls to our Sukkah where we gathered to further explore and experience the lulav and etrog. We learned that there is a special blessing that one says prior to shaking the lulav and etrog. It is very similar to the blessing one says when we light the candles for Shabbat. (There are only two words that are different)It is a mitzvah to gather and invite our family and friends to share in activities in our sukkah.

There are some important guidelines to building a sukkah: we need to see out of it and see the stars. Some boys and girls thought that we could also "see the morning in our sukkah, see the sun in our sukkah, but we see it differently, not like in your house. We decorate our sukkah with things we make or find in nature, like branches and leaves. It is a time in which stop and think about all the good things we have in our lives for which we are thankful.