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(Galatians 4:16)

Sukkot in Jerusalem

The sukkah from a top view


A large wooden sukkah at the Western Wall plaza

A Torah in a wooden case

Jewish Ethiopians carrying brightly colored umbrellas

The large crowd for the Birkat HaKohanim ceremony filled the Western Wall area to capacity.Photo: Tovia Singer.

Across the street from Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market, also known as the shuk, vendors sell lulav, etrog, willow and myrtle branches, the four species used in the Sukkot blessings.

A man drags sechach into his home in the Old City. Photo: Michelle Baruch

Sukkot is a joyous holiday which commemorates the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. Our ancestors wandered in the desert for 40 years before reaching the Land of Israel. During this time a Jews lived in small tent or hut called a "sukkah." As described in the Torah, we are commanded to hold a week-long festival and also build sukkahs and live in them. "Living" means at the very least eating in the sukkah, although some people sleep in them as well, weather permitting.In Israel, preparations begin in advance with temporary stands springing up to sell sukkah material. Signs are seen throughout Israel advertising sukkah building material. The material must be predominantly made of all natural material, but today, the frames are often made of light metal.Stores in Israel sell sukkah material including skach, the material used for the roof, which must be of natural earth-bound material. The sechach is usually made of either bamboo which can be seen rolled up in long green bags, or palm leaves.At the Western Wall, during the Birkat HaKohanim ceremony, the priestly blessing, there was singing, dancing and praying. The priestly blessing is performed by anyone who's father is a kohain, or priest, meaning hundreds of thousands of normal Jerwish people. The mass priestly blessing ceremony is held at the Western Wall on Sukkot and Passover. The atmosphere was one of happiness. The crowd was tightly packed. People lined the streets and steps leading to the Western Wall with cameras taking photos, with tzedaka boxes asking for donations for charity causes, and passing out election flyers for the upcoming vote for mayor. All candidates were represented by activists with flyers.
All photos by Ben Bresky unless otherwise noted
by Ben Bresky
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127986
As in the days of Noah....