JTA
It was a surprise hit on the cultural roster of a city that may be the most culturally busy city in the nation.
And even though the Sukkah City architectural competition in New York is being dismantled this week, look for Sukkah City next year in a town near you.
“Our goal is to fan it out across the nation next year to 15 cities,” said Roger Bennett, who put together the sukkah competition with writer Josh Foer.
More than 620 participants from 43 countries submitted designs for sukkahs, the outdoor booths Jews build on the Sukkot holiday. A dozen finalists, chosen by an expert panel, were constructed for two days in Manhattan’s Union Square Park. Thousands of visitors wandered through the sukkahs; more than 17,000 voters cast ballots for their favorite.
The winning design — “Fractured Bubble” by Henry Grosman and Babak Bryan, which one reporter described as an “exploding coconut” — was left up alone for the duration of the holiday ending Friday.
Who would have thought a bunch of wild and crazy huts would generate such attention?
The project became a media darling. Reporters from The Wall Street Journal to The Los Angeles Times gushed and cooed over the cutting-edge sukkahs, all of which had to conform to halachah, or Jewish law: more than two walls; a roof made of organic material that provides more shade than sun but allows for views of the stars; no taller than 20 cubits but higher than 10 handbreadths.
1. Walls made from living thing ie: palm frawns
2. roof made from living thing ie: palm frawns
Check out Shulchan aruch as to if the walls can rise up and bend over the top.
100% Kosher.
Who’s judging kashrus of the sukkahs?