With Yom Kippur in the rearview mirror and the days growing a little bit shorter, Sukkot is right around the corner. The holiday begins the evening of Friday, Sept. 29, and ends a week later on Oct. 6.
This holiday, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles and “Z’man Simchateinu — Time of our Joy,” commemorates the Israelites’ journey through the desert, celebrates the harvest season and encourages us to welcome guests into our sukkahs and our homes.
To help you make the most of this holiday, we compiled a list of Sukkot events and activities in the Bay Area.
San Francisco
Saturday, September 30
Musical Sukkot — Event for families featuring music, story time, play, movement and holiday snacks. Bring ushpizin (special guests) to welcome into the sukkah. Presented by Tkiya Music, Jewish Baby Network and The Kitchen. At Jewish Community High School, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 10:30-11:45 a.m. Free, registration required.
Sukkot and Fall Harvest Festival — JCCSF presents a Sukkot-centric stall at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market that includes a sukkah, art from local creators, lulav and etrog shaking, honey tastings and more. Co-sponsored by Foodwise, Marshall’s Honey, Foraged Art and Leslie Jonath. At Ferry Plaza, One Ferry Building, S.F. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
Thursday, October 5
A Musical Journey in the Sukkah — Jim Rebhan performs on accordion and Barbara Hollinger sings an assortment of songs in Yiddish, Hebrew and Ladino. With noshing and lulav and etrog shaking. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 1-2 p.m. Free.
Friday, October 6
Shabbat in the Sukkah — Shabbat meal in USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkah, with live music, lulav and etrog shaking and prayers led by Rabbi Camille Angel. Presented by Value Culture, Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice, OneTable and USF University Ministry. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. 5-7 p.m. Free.
North Bay
Friday, September 29
Soups in the Sukkah — Adult social in a sukkah. With soups, salads, desserts and warm drinks. At Chabad Jewish Center, 205 Keller St., #101, Petaluma. 6:30 p.m. Free.
Sunday, October 1
Cereal in the Sukkah — Sukkot celebration with cereal bar, pancake buffet, hot chocolate, lawn games, lulav shaking and edible sukkah. Presented by Chabad of Petaluma. Address given with reservation. Free, RSVP required.
Monday, October 2
Sukkot Around Town — Chabad of Larkspur offers a mobile Sukkah with lulav and etrog shaking, holiday treats and crafts. 11 a.m. at Safeway, 137 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera; noon at Bon Air Center, Greenbrae; 1 p.m. at Village Mall, 1618 Redwood Highway, Corte Madera. 1 p.m. Free.
Sunday, October 15
Marin JCC Harvest Festival — Harvest-themed open house with food, activities, arts and crafts, live music and yoga. At Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free, registration required.
East Bay
Tuesday, September 19
Sukkot celebration for JOC youth — Event for Jews of Color ages 14-18 to celebrate Sukkot with a cooking lesson, food, storytelling and learning. Presented by Jewtina y Co. and Jewish Youth for Community Action. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 5-8 p.m. Free.
Saturday, September 30
PJ Library Sukkot brunch — Holiday celebration for families with food, sukkah decorations making, storytelling and a dance party. Bring a stuffed animal for a wagon ride. At Beth Chaim Congregation, 1800 Holbrook Drive, Danville. 10-11:30 a.m. Free.
Sunday, October 1
Family Sukkot Festival — Includes lulav and etrog shaking, nature crafts, pedal-bike-blender smoothies, grinding wheat for pizza flour, Hebrew games, a mitzvah project, music by Lior Ben-Hur and craft-making with a Latin Jewish flare. Presented by JCC East Bay, Olamim, Camp Tawonga, Jewish Baby Network, Jewish Gateways, PJ Library East Bay and Hebrew Free Loan. At JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 3-5 p.m. $18 per family.
Sukkot Dance Party — Jewish jam band Shamati and Urban Adamah present an outdoor event on the farm that also honors the band’s 10th anniversary. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 7-9 p.m. $18-$54, registration required.
Tuesday, October 3
Singing in the Sukkah — Bring song, story or instrument to celebrate Sukkot. With drinks and snacks. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 7-9 p.m. Free to $36, registration required.
Thursday, October 5
“The Route of the Citron” — Documentary on the cultivation of etrogs in the valley of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas mountains and the fruit’s ancient essence and splendor. Followed by Q&A with director Izza Genini. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 7-9 p.m. $12-$36, sliding scale, registration required.
Saturday, October 7
Simchat Torah Bash — Urban Adamah, Kehilla Community Synagogue and Chochmat HaLev team up for a multi-generational celebration with music from the Kehilla Klezmer band, puppet show and dancing. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 5-9:30 p.m. $10-$36, registration required.
South Bay / Peninsula
Friday, September 29
Sukkot Harvest Festival — Includes horse-drawn carriage rides, petting zoo, line dancing, mechanical bull riding, pumpkin-gourd games, sukkah decoration, fall-themed dinner in the sukkah and Erev Sukkot services. At Congregation Kol Emeth, 4175 Manuela Ave., Palo Alto. 4:30-7:30 p.m. $25; $15 for 7th graders or younger; free for babies and tots.
Stanford Medicine sukkah — Open to the public daily for lulav and etrog shaking, snacks and adding your wishes for healing to a prayer chain. Through Oct. 6. At 300 Pasteur Fountain, Stanford Medical Center, Stanford. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.
Sunday, October 1
Feeding Our Unhoused Neighbors — Volunteer to prepare meals in JCC sukkah and/or distribute them with ENGAJ: Engaging the Next Generation of Adult Jews. For people in 20s and 30s. With talk by a speaker from LifeMoves housing center that will receive the meals. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 9-11:30 a.m. Free, donations for LifeMoves accepted.
Wednesday, October 4
Sukkot Fun at Filoli — Celebrate in the orchard, with singing, dancing, lulav and etrog shaking, art and storytime in the sukkah. Bring snack and picnic blanket. Presented by Peninsula JCC, Wornick Jewish Day School, PJ Library and North Peninsula Jewish Community Collaboration. At Filoli Gardens, 86 Cañada Road, Woodside. 3:30-4:45 p.m. Free, registration requested.
Saturday, October 7
Simchat Torah Celebration — Chabad North Peninsula presents a dinner and traditional events for families and kids. With dancing, flags, goodie bags and costumes. At Lent Chabad Center, San Mateo. 6 p.m. Free, registration required.