As we enjoy the marvelous yomtov of Sukkos, we may view photos in magazines and online, photos of different Yidden around the world celebrating the special days accompanied by unique minhagim as well as more traditional scenarios.
The Jerusalem neighborhood of Nachlaot is known for the Yerushalmim, the home of tzaddikim such as Aryeh Levine ZT”L and many others. In addition, it has also become the ‘trendy’ Carlebach area of the city, centrally located near Machane Yehuda – offering a taste of Carlebach and his unique style. The area is also home to Addis, the main shul of the Halabi Syria community and Nachlaot is known by many as “The SoHo of Jerusalem”.
There are many photos of sukkas around the capital but one may have to travel far and wide until one finds a sukka the likes of which is found in Nachlaot, a sukka that is built annually by singer entertainer Aaron Razel, who wishes to educate the tzibur as to the minimum requirements of a sukka. Aaron however takes it seriously and he makes certain that there is a seat and mezonos on hand throughout yomtov to enable passersby to enter, take a seat and make a bracha.
Chag Somayach
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
2 Responses
Many years ago my son had a rebbi in yeshiva who was teaching them Maseches Succah. He lived in Williamsburg on the top floor of a walk-up brownstone. All his students were invited to his home to see where he made his succa. In the 3rd floor hallway there was what can best be described as a very small closet that contained nothing more than a metal ladder that went straight up to the roof. There was a skylight on the top. He replaced the skylight with s’chach. He squeezed in a chair on the bottom and put a piece of wood on one of the rungs for his ‘table’. I’m sure he was able to get “rosho v’rubo” (a majority of his body) into that closet (succa) but not much more. Also, the s’chach was less than 20 amos high. It was a learning experience for his students.
A number of years ago, I constructed a new sukka (or maybe expanded an existing one) and had some materials left over. On chol hamoed, I confirmed the minimum dimensions HxWxD with my rov, and that for chinuch, it was permissible to build such a sukka on chol hamoed. I spent about an hour building it, and the kids — and me! — took turns using it. We also considered using it as a travel sukka. An average size grown man could sit in it with head bent over, and, I think, a snack table inside with him. You’d have to be very motivated to sleep in it, though.