SUKKOT!
We hosted a fabulous sukkot fest at Zumwalt Acres this weekend! Keep reading for an overview of the programs and events, plus the usual batch of cat pics. Thanks to all the attendees for making the event sweet!
Morning fire keeping us warm on the farm.
Day 1 - Friday, October 18
welcoming circle ft. my parents
Guests arrived during sunset and before the huge harvest moon appeared in the eastern skies. We met everyone in a welcoming circle to sing kabbalat shabbat songs and enjoy a potluck dinner in the sukkah. Folks at the festival traveled from Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, and even Ohio to be here! So exciting to get to know all the guests and build new connections around the land. We gathered around a bonfire with songs and stories and bundled up for a chilly sleep in the sukkah. Ritz and I pitched the blue tent and cuddled with Phoebe through the night.
Day 2 - Saturday, October 19
Good morning! We sang the group into wakefulness, and Patricia and I served a load of oats for breakfast. Shacharit by the bonfire was lovely. We sang familiar and new tunes while cooking ourselves between the fire and an unexpectedly summery sun. Folks explored the woods and the Torah portion, then read and napped until an afternoon workshop with the inimitable cantor Leah Shoshana and her friend Uvi. We created an improvised prayer beneath the oaks. The day ended with barley soup and lively conversations in the sukkah. Folks told spooky stories around the bonfire too!
Day 3 - Sunday, October 20
# state pic
A sweet end to this festive time. We enjoyed a warmer morning and shared coffee in the sukkah before a creative workshop about the seven sefirot with R’Heather Paul. The tree mural from that workshop now hangs in the living room at the farmhouse — a reminder of all the learnings from this special event!
We closed with a chat about the significance of lulav, etrog, and other plant relatives. People shared their goodbyes and scattered for home. I took a tent nap and went on a date to Kentland with Ritz. We love Indiana (the state and the song).
Hosting is such hard work! (Nooch and Phoebe did 0 dishes this weekend.)
