This year Covid helped bring a Brooklyn community’s Sukkah to the streets, welcoming more people than usual because it was more visible.
The Sukkah project of Clinton Hill incorporated in its architectural structure every age range that joined and contributed to its building.
The base of the Sukkah was made with recycled palettes nailed together by a local community member and artist, Bezalel Degroff, along with other community members. It was then painted by local college art students from Pratt Institute and topped off with Sukkah decorations that were crafted by children of the community.
It brought everyone in the area together to be a part of the creation of the project – from art students in college to those in elementary school. A kids program with arts-n-craft projects was led by Shlucha Chaya Eliav and Robyn Rubinstein that were then hung up on the walls of the Sukkah.
The Sukkah was built “restaurant style” in the street because of Covid regulations, so fortunately, the new Shluchim to the area, Rabbi Yossi and Chaya Eliav, Chabad Directors of Pratt Institute and Clinton Hill, were allowed free square footage to expand it onto the street.
“Until now it wasn’t able to be on the street, it was not in public,” explained Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, founder of the organization.
“This year we were able to build it out front so everyone could see it and it pulled in more people.”
The Sukkah enabled Chabad of Pratt Institute and Clinton Hill to have outdoor events due to Covid-19 guidelines. Holiday meals were served, a men’s cigar and scotch night out, Kumzits Farbrengen, children’s Sukkah arts-n-crafts, Simchas Torah celebrations, and Lulav and Esrog Mivtzoim organized by Hatomim Menachem Eliav.
“Everyone sits under one sukkah and we had every aspect from our community,” said Rabbi Eliav, who serves both Chabad on Campus and the community of Clinton Hill. “The Holiday of Sukkos is about bringing all different types of Jews together; here we definitely maxed out the potential of Jewish Unity.”
For more information please visit clintonhillchabad.com
Keep up the great work!