Jews across Israel and around the world will be celebrating the Feast of Sukkot. This feast is first mentioned in the scriptures at Sinai with the giving of the Law in Exodus 23:14-16 as the Feast of Ingathering. It was to be celebrated after the children of Israel entered the Promised Land at the end of the year after gathering the fruits of their labors from the field, as one of the three times in the year when all males were to come and appear before Yahweh God to worship Him. The order for the feast was established during the Israelites' wilderness journey when they dwelt in “booths” (sukkot).
During this harvest festival, many people sleep in small booths to remember the wandering of the Chosen People through the wilderness...and they celebrate with feasting for a full week...but for the hungry of Israel, this is no time of joy. Instead, they wonder why they have to go to bed hungry every night...why others enjoy special meals and fun things to eat...why they are left out. Poverty and hunger are very real threats to many Jewish children today, as well as to many elderly Holocaust survivors.
No comments:
Post a Comment