Fall is harvest season, with many cultural traditions centered on celebrating seasonal bounty.

This week, the MHS Jewish Affinity Group spotlighted Sukkot, also known as the “Festival of Tabernacles” and the “Feast of Booths.” The holiday started at sunset on Monday and is celebrated until sundown September 27.

As part of the celebration, eight students in the Jewish Affinity Group, gathered on September 17 with English Teacher Rebecca Cook-Dubin alongside Manager of Facilities Jeff Crosier and Manager of Buildings & Grounds Tom Boino, to build the first-ever sukkah at MHS. The three-sided structure, which includes a table for meals, was built between the Front Circle and the Humes Euston Hall Library.

“Traditionally, Jews build a sukkah, a temporary hut to sleep under the stars, remembering our ancestors from ancient times as they wandered in the desert,” Math Teacher Adrienne Lazes ’05 explained during a Community Meeting presentation on the holiday. “Sukkot also is a harvest holiday, celebrating the fall season, and many families eat in their sukkah together each day.”

An important part of the sukkah building tradition, added affinity group co-facilitator Emma ’22, is decorating the structure. “We place branches across the top so that you can see through to the stars at nighttime,” explained Emma, who invited members of the MHS community to explore and eat in the sukkah this week.

“Our decorations focus on peace and hope,” Emma added. “We intend this to be a way of sharing our traditions with our MHS community and to create a positive look toward this new year, whether it is your official ‘New Year’ or just a start to this new school year.”

Chag Sameach. (Happy Holidays.)