Eve Levy’s Reflections on the Festival of Sukkot

I am humming a joyous tune. Tonight is the festival of Sukkot. One of my favorite Jewish holidays. Tonight we will bundle up in warm clothing and step out of our comfortable homes and into the Sukkah. I am struck by the similarities between Inspired Jewish Women and Sukkot. On this holiday we bring the four species together; the etrog (the citron) with its taste and fragrant smell, the lulov (palm branch) the fruit of the lulov tastes delicious but does not have a smell, the hadas (myrtle branch) smells good but tastes bitter, and finally the aravah (willow branch) which has no taste and no smell. These 4 different and interesting species represent the different kinds of Jews. One is not better than the next. Each is equally vital in the mitzvah of the four species. We bring them all together. We bind them together as one. They complete each other. They compensate for one another. Just like us, the Jewish people. We too need to lean on the power of unity. The power of community. We human beings each have our unique strengths and we also have things we lack. We all have our shortcomings. We can own that. It’s ok, because we have each other. We will complete one other and hold each other up. We will stand united as one people, with all the good and bad. We come together like the four species to make the most exquisite offering to G-d. This is exactly who Inspired Jewish women is. Recognizing that we women must come together with our strengths and weaknesses, our different flairs, different looks, and complete each other by being unified. Be a part of it!

Eve Levy

Executive Director

Inspired Jewish Women