The Grand Sukkah at the Tel Aviv Port

Sukkot is one of the most beautiful holidays of Israel, in which we celebrate our connection to nature, celebrate the joyous holiday and simultaneously realize that everything is temporary, transient and fragile. The sukkah reminds us for a week that focusing only on material objects makes it harder to see the things that really matter for we are not measured by the strength of the walls of our home, but by the strength of the walls of the heart. Beit Tefilah Israeli, in cooperation with Tel Aviv Port, are looking to give meaning to Jewish holidays in a way that is relevant and meaningful to most Israelis. The Grand Sukkah at the Tel Aviv Port is a beautiful way to experience Sukkot wholeheartedly. After years of successful cooperation with the Tel Aviv Port with our Kabbalat Shabbat at the sea, we are happy to expand our cooperation, as one of the mitzvot for Sukkot is to gather the public - to gather the public into the sukkah once a year. Every year fewer and fewer people build sukkot in their homes, but there is no one who does not enjoy sitting, eating, studying and singing in the sukkah. This is the opportunity to take part in the construction of a sukkah that has a message of unity and peace, at the most beautiful place in Tel Aviv, at the port facing the sea - and thus participate in the creation of an open and connected Israeli Jewry. Here are a few major gatherings that will happen in the 2017 Grand Sukkah: • Sukkah of Coexistence: A day dedicated to providing space on the stage for different constituents of the Israeli society. We are inviting Arabs, Haredim, settlers, periphery Israelis, Ethiopian Jews and others to each have two hours on the stage and provide a workshop, lecture or performance to the Israeli public. The day will conclude with a joint ceremony celebrating unity without uniformity. • Activist Panel: This joint panel will include activists who are change-makers in different parts of the Israeli society. Each of them will share their vision for a better and more just future. • Welfare of Nations Prayer: The Grand Sukkah will host its modern rendition of the ancient tradition of saying the Jewish prayer for the welfare of all nations during Sukkot. During this ceremony, foreign ambassadors along with Jewish, Muslim and Christian clergy will participate in their native language. Together, their choir of voices from around the world broadcast a message of peace and acceptance. • Simchat Torah: Celebrating Simchat Torah in an egalitarian way is both joyous and deeply moving, as for many of the women, it was their first time holding a Torah. Witnessing men and women inside the Grand Sukkah naturally passing the Torah to one another demonstrates what Israeli Judaism looks and should look like in the 21st century.