I've decided that Sukkot is officially my favorite Jewish holiday. I have always, or least since moving to LA, loved the holiday, one that was often overlooked growing up because by the time Yom Kippur was over it was back to "normal". There was one at my synagogue but the rotting fruit and fading paper chains that hung from it were far from appealing. It was only in recent years that I kind of became obsessed. In fact, we've been known to shamelessly invite ourselves over to people's homes for dinner just to be able to sit (and eat) in their sukkahs when we lived in an apartment and didn't have our own. I had a bad case of sukkah envy. I think it's because I really love fall - even though in LA fall lasts about a week, and Sukkot almost always is during an Indian summer. I did live in New England for 3 years, so I have a true appreciation for the season. And there's something terribly romantic and soothing about eating outside...I do have an obsession with patio furniture, remember?
When we moved into this house with a real backyard, the first thing I thought to myself was "Now we can build a sukkah!" (And then I marveled that we had our own washer/dryer...a close second to a yard big enough for a sukkah.) Well that first year proved to be more difficult that I imagined...we had less than pleasant neighbors with whom we shared the yard (despite them being Jewish, I'm sure they would have tattled on us to the management company for cluttering the yard or something), and I found out that they're not exactly cheap. We did not have $300+ kicking around, so I spent the fall of 2009 in major sukkah-lust.
And we all know what happened last year during Sukkot...! Suffice to say my pregnant and bed-rest state put me in no position to build a sukkah, and it turns out I missed half the holiday anyway. Too bad because the record breaking heat last year would have made for so many perfect outdoor meals. But I happen to think it's so cool that Sidney's Hebrew birthday is the first day of Sukkot...all the more reason to love the holiday. That, and the fact that we got to have his bris in a sukkah...couldn't have scripted it more perfectly.
So now we get to this year. I was determined to make it happen, come hell or high water. But if we didn't have $300 kicking around 2 years ago, we certainly don't have it this year...so I was trying to be creative about how we could do it on the cheap.
And then I saw it...finally, my Extreme Grouponing was really paying off. A daily deal for a sukkah kit!!! But still, it was $175...hmm. I posted the deal on Facebook with a call out to anyone who might want to share the cost (and rights to using the sukkah too, of course), and my friend Sara (love you!!!) saved the day. Or, rather, saved Sukkot...
And then I saw it...finally, my Extreme Grouponing was really paying off. A daily deal for a sukkah kit!!! But still, it was $175...hmm. I posted the deal on Facebook with a call out to anyone who might want to share the cost (and rights to using the sukkah too, of course), and my friend Sara (love you!!!) saved the day. Or, rather, saved Sukkot...
Birthright Israel NEXT was offering sukkah grants to any birthright alum who wanted to build a sukkah, for up to $200!!! Faster than you can say "schach", I had that application filled out, submitted and approved. Best Sukkot EVER - a free sukkah!
The deal was bought, and after some minorly-shady business transactions with a lovely man named Yehuda (he had me write the check for the delivery fee out to CASH...), we had all the pieces in our yard about 12 hours after the most rockin' Yom Kippur in history. The exuberance from neilah and the break fast spilled over into the next day and we built ourselves one amazing sukkah.
Mike was a naysayer before this all happened...and when he saw how easy it was to assemble he quickly converted over to Team Sukkah and got really into it. We loved shouting "schach!!" as we piled discard palm branches onto the top (which I collected from the green landscape recycle bins in our alley, just like a real Pico/Robertson Jew!), and both kids were just mesmerized. And then the real fun began - decorating and meal planning. I went a little overboard with my ambition, including a failed decoration project and more meal invitations than I could possible follow through with. But it was worth it...we ate every meal outdoors, and I could not have been happier. They don't call it the Season of our Joy for nothing.
The deal was bought, and after some minorly-shady business transactions with a lovely man named Yehuda (he had me write the check for the delivery fee out to CASH...), we had all the pieces in our yard about 12 hours after the most rockin' Yom Kippur in history. The exuberance from neilah and the break fast spilled over into the next day and we built ourselves one amazing sukkah.
Daddy's little helper...
Mike was a naysayer before this all happened...and when he saw how easy it was to assemble he quickly converted over to Team Sukkah and got really into it. We loved shouting "schach!!" as we piled discard palm branches onto the top (which I collected from the green landscape recycle bins in our alley, just like a real Pico/Robertson Jew!), and both kids were just mesmerized. And then the real fun began - decorating and meal planning. I went a little overboard with my ambition, including a failed decoration project and more meal invitations than I could possible follow through with. But it was worth it...we ate every meal outdoors, and I could not have been happier. They don't call it the Season of our Joy for nothing.
How could you not feel warm and fuzzy sitting in here?
