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סֻכּוֹת
Sukkot 5787
The Festival of Booths
Sukkot is a joyous seven-day harvest festival — one of the three biblical pilgrimage holidays — during which Jews build and eat (and some sleep) in a sukkah, a temporary outdoor hut with a roof of natural vegetation (schach). The sukkah commemorates the fragile booths in which the Israelites dwelled during their 40 years in the desert, and its temporary nature reminds us of life's impermanence. A central mitzvah is the waving of the arba minim — the four species: a lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron), hadassim (myrtle branches), and aravot (willow branches) — which are held together and waved in six directions. Sukkot is immediately followed by Shemini Atzeret, a distinct holiday of its own, and Simchat Torah, when the annual Torah reading cycle is joyously completed and restarted with dancing and singing.
Sukkot Traditions
How Jews observe Sukkot around the world.
Building and decorating the sukkah with hanging fruits, paper chains, and artwork
Eating all meals in the sukkah for the seven days of the holiday
Waving the four species (arba minim): lulav, etrog, hadassim, and aravot
Ushpizin — welcoming symbolic guests (biblical patriarchs) into the sukkah each night
Hoshana Rabbah — the seventh day with special circuits around the synagogue
Shemini Atzeret — the eighth day, a separate holiday with its own prayers
Simchat Torah — joyous dancing with Torah scrolls as the annual reading cycle completes
Harvest themes — decorating with gourds, corn, and seasonal produce
Sukkot Food Guide
Traditional foods and where to find them.
Stuffed Cabbage (Holishkes)
A traditional Sukkot dish — cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice in a sweet-and-sour tomato sauce, symbolizing the abundance of the harvest.
Find nearbyChallah
Round or braided challah continues through Sukkot, often dipped in honey to extend the sweetness of the High Holiday season.
Find nearbyFestive Holiday Meals
All meals during Sukkot are eaten in the sukkah — full holiday dinners with soups, roasts, and seasonal dishes served under the stars.
Find nearbySeasonal Fruits and Vegetables
As a harvest festival, Sukkot is a time to celebrate seasonal produce. Apples, pomegranates, grapes, and gourds are used both as food and sukkah decorations.
Find nearbyKashrut Notes for Sukkot
The first two days of Sukkot are full Yom Tov — no work is permitted and they are observed like Shabbat (with the allowance of cooking for the day)
Chol HaMoed — the intermediate days (days 3–6) — have relaxed work restrictions but meals are still eaten in the sukkah
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (days 8–9) are also full Yom Tov days with no work permitted
In Israel, Sukkot lasts seven days and Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah are combined on day eight
The four species (lulav and etrog) must meet specific kosher standards — purchase from a reputable Judaica store
Sukkah walls and schach (roof covering) have specific halachic requirements; consult a local rabbi or use a pre-certified sukkah kit
Find Kosher Food for Sukkot
Browse certified kosher restaurants, bakeries, and caterers in your city.
Los Angeles
From Pico-Robertson to the Valley
New York City
The Kosher Capital of America
Miami
Sun, Sand, and Kosher Everything
Chicago
Deep Dish Meets Kosher Tradition
Brooklyn
The Heart of American Jewish Life
Lakewood
America's Fastest-Growing Kosher Hub
Teaneck
The Modern Orthodox Food Capital
Baltimore
Star-K Central and Kosher Comfort
Philadelphia
Brotherly Love, Kosher Style
Houston
Texas-Sized Kosher in the Bayou City
Atlanta
Southern Hospitality Meets Kosher Cuisine
Dallas
Kosher in the Heart of Texas
San Diego
Kosher by the Coast
Denver
Mile-High Kosher Dining
Phoenix
Desert Oasis for Kosher Food
Boston
Where Tradition Meets Innovation
Detroit
Motor City's Kosher Scene
Cleveland
Heartland Kosher at Its Best
Seattle
Pacific Northwest Kosher
St. Louis
Gateway to Kosher
San Francisco
Bay Area Kosher Culture
Washington DC
The Nation's Kosher Capital
Las Vegas
Kosher Hits the Jackpot
New Jersey
The Kosher Corridor — Teaneck to Lakewood
Baltimore
Star-K Country — A Proud Kosher City
Philadelphia
From Rittenhouse to the Main Line
Houston
Texas-Sized Kosher Scene
Boca Raton
South Florida's Kosher Hub
Sukkot FAQs
Common questions about Sukkot 5787.
When is Sukkot 2026?
Sukkot 2026 begins at nightfall on Sunday, October 4, and the seven days of Sukkot run through Sunday, October 11. It is followed by Shemini Atzeret on Monday, October 12, and Simchat Torah on Tuesday, October 13.
What is a sukkah?
A sukkah is a temporary outdoor structure built for the Sukkot holiday. It has at least three walls and a roof of natural vegetation (schach) — palm fronds, bamboo, or pine branches — through which you can see the sky and stars. Jews eat (and some sleep) in the sukkah for the seven days to recall the booths the Israelites lived in during 40 years in the desert.
What are the four species?
The arba minim (four species) are a lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron fruit), hadassim (three myrtle branches), and aravot (two willow branches). The lulav, hadassim, and aravot are bound together and held in the right hand, while the etrog is held in the left. They are waved together in six directions (east, south, west, north, up, and down) while reciting a blessing.
What is Simchat Torah?
Simchat Torah ('Rejoicing of the Torah') marks the completion and immediate restart of the annual Torah reading cycle. In synagogue, all the Torah scrolls are taken out and the congregation dances with them in joyous circuits called hakafot. The last portion of Deuteronomy and the first of Genesis are read back-to-back, symbolizing that Torah study never ends.
What foods are traditional for Sukkot?
Traditional Sukkot foods reflect the harvest theme — stuffed vegetables like holishkes (stuffed cabbage) symbolize abundance. Challah, honey, and festive meats are served at meals in the sukkah. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are used both as food and to decorate the sukkah's interior.