Some say the sukkah that we built this week serves to remind us of the dwellings Jews lived in while wandering in the desert for 40 years. Others say the sukkah is fragile to remind us of the fragility of life.
In either case, our thoughts are once again drawn to the Jewish homeland — the biblical land and the modern state.
The vulnerability Jews experienced while wandering in the desert differs little from what our friends and relatives experience in today’s Israel, surrounded by unfriendly nations. Israelis never know when they will suffer from stoning by Arab youths or the firing of a Katyusha rocket from Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.
The rioting of the past two weeks reminds us how fragile the lives of Israelis continue to be. The militant Hamas movement has made no secret of its ambition to rid Israel of all Jews. And the external threat of a militant Iraq, Libya and Syria adds to the perils Israelis face.
In a sense, Israelis live in a sukkah all year round. While the walls around them and the roofs over their heads offer them protection from natural forces, more ominous forces continue to endanger their security.
Their state of vulnerability should serve as a reminder to those of us who visit a sukkah during the next week.
The sweet aroma from the fruit and fragrant branches can’t mask the dwelling’s flimsy construction. Just cast your eyes upward and you’ll see the night sky. Beneath you is grass or cold cement. The walls are thin and the cold air penetrates.
A week from now, our sukkot come down and we return to the safety of our well-contructed homes. But other Jews continue to live in a sukkah they call Israel.
What can we do? Show Israel our support. Join the rally Monday at San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza at noon and other rallies that are likely to be scheduled in the Bay Area. Israelis need to hear that we stand in solidarity with them.
In the meantime, when you say the Hashkiveinu prayer, pay special attention to the last sentence in which we ask God to place a sukkah of peace over us and over all of Israel.