As experiential learners, the Jewish people recreate scenes of hut-like dwelling throughout the chag of Sukkot. We build our shelters and ‘live’ in them for the week-long celebration, practising the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests.   

Our youngest students in the ELC were tasked with decorating our school sukkah this year and enjoyed visiting, picnicking and reading stories in our temporary ‘home’. The hands-on learning didn’t stop there. The children were given the opportunity to bring together the arba minim, the 4 species named in the Torah and wave them 3 times in each of the 6 directions, signifying God’s presence all around.   

Junior School students were welcomed virtually into sukkot, and learned about the mitzvot and minhagim of this festival period. Year 5 students competed in a model sukkah competition which required them to consider the halachot, laws, of building a sukkah as well as what it means to ‘dwell’ in it. Congratulations to our winners Lori Padowitz, Gemma Hatfield, Kai Vorchheimer, Minnie Rose, Jemma Hauser and Leon Behar for their creative constructions (see attached photos of their sukkot).   

Concluding the chag-laden months of Elul and Tishrei, the Junior School students turned their attention to the new month of Cheshvan. Our Jewish Experiential Educators have put together a series of activities and learning over the next month that looks at a different quote or idea each week. Last week we celebrated Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, which coincides with the start of the rainy season in Israel. This week all students considered a quote from Kohellet, read on Sukkot, “for everything there is a season”.   

Kol Hakavod to all our students on a wonderful season of chag related Jewish Life and Learning! The JS and JLife teams are all looking forward to the planned return to students on campus and can’t wait to see children’s smiling faces ‘IRL’ once more!