Memories of Sukkos
Sukkos has arrived here in the Pioneer Valley as the air crisps and the leaves change. The seven-day festival marks the end of the agricultural year and asks us to reflect on the bounty of nature and transience of life. Below, our narrators share memories of Sukkos and their families’ sukes (sukkahs). These temporary dwellings commemorate the experiences of harvest-time farmers and wandering Israelites.
Action Figures in the Sukkah
Mikhl Yashinsky, theater artist and Yiddishist, remembers his family’s sukkah as a symbol of their “American Yiddishkayt” identity.
Sukkah in the Bronx
Ingrid recalls celebrating Sukkos in the Bronx, where her uncle’s sukkah would blow in the wind down Jerome Avenue every year.
Sukkah on the Shore
Singer and Yiddish enthusiast Sara Klompus reminisces about spending Sukkos in Lithuania. She describes celebrating in a special sukkah on the shores of Trakai and Klaipeda.
Sukkos Mob: Street Performance
Jenny Romaine—New York-based performer, director, and puppeteer—combines the traditions of Sukkos with the stories of Betty Boop in the street performance group Sukkos Mob.