Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, commemorates the Biblical period of wandering in the desert. A temporary shelter (a sukkah) is built outside the home and used to take meals and even sleep in it for the duration of the one-week holiday. The "eighth day" of Sukkot, known as Shmini Atzeret, can be considered a separate holiday. It marks the beginning of the rainy season in Israel and the year's first prayer for rain, so that the ground might be prepared for planting when springtime arrives.
The sukkah has at least three sides, and the roof is made of branches called schach that provide shade during the day yet also allow people to see the stars through them at night. Meals in the sukkah are often shared with family and friends — and through a welcoming ceremony called ushpizin, Biblical ancestors are symbolically invited in as well. Sukkot is also a harvest festival, which in ancient times involved a pilgrimage to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. To give thanks for the harvest bounty, particularly that of the Land of Israel, four plant species are held together and waved in the air: lulav (palm), etrog (citron), hadas (myrtle) and arava (willow).
Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of one year's cycle of weekly Torah readings during Shabbat services and the beginning of another. Synagogues' Torah scrolls are brought out to the congregation for singing and dancing, which sometimes spills into the street outside. Some unroll an entire Torah scroll while the congregation stands in a circle and holds it. The last Torah portion is read as many times as necessary so that all those who wish to can be honored with an aliyah, an opportunity to say a blessing before and after the Torah reading.
Chabad Center for Jewish Life: Orthodox | 2640 W. 96th St., Carmel | 317-251-5573 | chabadindiana.org | rabbi@lubavitchindiana.com
Congregation Beth-El Zedeck: Reconstructionist/Conservative | 600 W. 70th St., Indianapolis | 317-253-3441 | bez613.org | bez613@bez613.org
Congregation Beth Shalom: Reform | 849 W. 96th St., Indianapolis | 317-306-5644 | bethshalomindy.org | info@bethshalomindy.org
Congregation B'nai Torah: Orthodox | 6510 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis | 317-253-5253 | btorahindy.org | office@btorah.org
Congregation Shaarey Tefilla: Conservative | 3085 W. 116th St., Carmel | 317-733-2169 | shaareytefilla.org | office@shaareytefilla.org
Etz Chaim Sephardic Congregation: Sephardic Orthodox | 6939 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis | 317-251-6220 | etzchaimindy.org | president@etzchaimindy.org
Humanistic Judaism: 317-721-2747 | HumanisticJewsIndy@gmail.com
Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation: Reform | 6501 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis | 317-255-6647 | ihcindy.org | info@ihcindy.org
Temple B'nai Israel: Reform | 618 W. Superior St., Kokomo | 765-452-0383 | TempleBnaiIsraelKokomo@gmail.com
Sukkot (Festival of Booths) |
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Beth-El Zedeck |
Monday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. |
Erev Sukkot – Sukkot Service and Family Festival (Sukkah and Uncle Davy’s Cabin) |
In person (purchase tickets at www.bez613.org/seats |
Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. |
Sukkot Festival Service |
In person (purchase tickets at www.bez613.org/seats | |
Monday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. |
Consencration and Simchat Celebration |
In person (purchase tickets at www.bez613.org/seats | |
Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. |
Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah & Yizkor Service |
In person (purchase tickets at www.bez613.org/seats |
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Beth Shalom |
Friday, Sept. 24 6:30 pm |
Shabbat Service during Sukkot |
In person in the CBS Sukkah |
B'Nai Torah |
Tuesday, Sept. 21 and Wednesday, Sept. 22 |
Shacharis - 9 a.m.; Mincha - 7:30 p.m. |
In person |
Tuesday, Sept. 28 |
Shemini Atzeret: Shacharis - 9 a.m.; Mincha/Maariv/Hakafos: 7:30 p.m. |
In person |
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Wednesday, Sept. 29 |
Simchat Torah: Shacharis 8:45 a.m.; Mincha 7:20 p.m. |
In person |
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Chabad |
TBD |
TBD |
TBD |
Etz Chaim |
10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 20 |
Sukkah Building & Kids’ Decorating Activity |
In person |
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21 and Wednesday Sept. 22 |
Evening Service and Mincha |
In person |
See right |
Shacharit 9 a.m.; Mincha: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21 and Wednesday, Sept. 22 |
In person |
6 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 26 |
Shacharit |
In person |
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26 |
Evening Services |
In person |
11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26 |
All Night Study |
In person |
7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 27 |
Evening Service and Mincha |
In person |
See right |
Shacharit: 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mincha Tuesday, Sept. 28 and Wednesday, Sept. 29 in person |
In person |
IHC |
Thursday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. |
Sisterhood’s Sisters in the Sukkah |
In person |
Sunday, Sept. 26; 12 - 1:30 p.m. |
Sukkot Celebration |
, In person with advance registration, Facebook live: @IhcIndy or on WICR 88.7-FM |
Monday, Sept. 27 at 10:30 a.m. |
Festival Yizkor Service |
, In person with advance registration, Facebook live: @IhcIndy or on WICR 88.7-FM |
Monday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. |
Erev Simchat Torah and Consecration Service |
In person with advance registration, Facebook live: @IhcIndy or on WICR 88.7-FM |
Shaarey Tefilla |
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20 |
Erev Sukkot Mincha/Maariv |
In person |
: 8 – 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21 |
Sukkot First Day Shacharit |
In person |
8 – 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22 |
Sukkot Second Day Shacharit |
In person |
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 27 |
Erev Shemini Atzeret Mincha/Maariv |
In person |
8 – 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28 |
Shemini Atzeret/Yizkor Shacharit |
In person |
: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28 |
Shemini Atzeret Mincha |
In person |
7 – 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28 |
Simchat Torah Maariv |
In person |
8 – 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29 |
Simchat Torah Shacharit |
In person |