On the Monday evening of Sukkot in late September, around 50 children and parents gathered in the Hebrew Day School library for a very special occasion: an Israeli Sukkot Party.
What’s so special about an Israeli Sukkot party? To start, it’s all in Hebrew. It also has typical Israeli holiday songs, dances, and activities. For Israelis newer to greater Ann Arbor, it was a much-needed taste of home. For those who have been here for long time, who may be raising their children or grandchildren in the US, it was an important opportunity to pass on the culture, language, and traditions they grew up with.
The party was organized by Hadar and Mia, Ann Arbor’s ShinShinim (Israelis doing a year of volunteer service after graduating high school), and included preparing Sukkah decorations, singing and dancing, building a candy Sukkah (in the States, one must compete with Halloween), and even enjoying a light Israeli dinner of hummus, pita, pickles and veggies.
One participating parent testified, “Every event our ShinShinim put together is a great chance to meet more Israeli families and get our kids connected to the Jewish holidays. The Shinshinim know how to engage children of different ages and how to connect them to Israel, and as an Israeli, this has been extremely valuable to me.”
This Sukkot celebration was the first in a series of upcoming Israeli holiday parties that the ShinShinim will put on in the coming year. All are invited to save the dates.
Chanukah: Dec. 6, 11:30am (at the Hebrew Story Time at AADL Downtown)
Tu BiShvat: Jan. 24
Purim: March 14
Passover: April 18
Lag BaOmer: May 23