SUKKOT

Sukkot is the holiday of Harvest. We build a temporary structure, called a sukkah, and we're supposed to eat, sleep, and play in the sukkah throughout the seven (or eight) days that we are celebrating. The kids love Sukkot because its kind of like making a playhouse that we get to enjoy for a week. We also get to decorate the sukkah with fruits, vegetables, popcorn garlands, wind chimes... the list is endless.

If I had the kids make apples and pomegranates for Rosh Hashana, these, after they've been sprayed with something that will protect them from the elements, can be hung in the sukkah making lovely decorations. This year, we made "wind chimes"!

Wind Chimes for the Sukkah

Materials:
disposable pie plates (1 for each child)
hole puncher
beads
ribbon
Sharpie markers

First, have the children use the Sharpies (after a good discussion about not putting them in their mouth, on their clothing, or anywhere else that will be difficult to clean) to decorate the pie plate--front and back.

Next, punch holes in the rim of the plate (at least 3 but as many as you like).

Tie a ribbon for hanging in the top-most hole.

Tie ribbons to the other holes and have the children string beads onto them, tying a knot at the end to keep the beads on.

Those ribbons that are at the top of the pie plate will be pulled down by the weight of the beads and "chime" against the pie plate when the wind blows. Any ribbons that are farther down the rim will just hang down and look pretty and colorful.

And it simply wouldn't be Sukkot without an edible sukkah!

Edible Sukkah

Materials:

graham crackers
Royal icing (recipe follows)
fruit snacks (if keeping kosher, you will probably need to substitute them for chewy lemon heads and friends and or m&:ms)
pretzel "dipping sticks"
green food coloring
paper plate

First, prepare a batch of Royal icing. Use your favorite recipe or mine:
"A little bit of" Royal Icing
1 Tbls. water
1/2 tsp. meringue powder
1/16 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a small, Pyrex bowl, beat water, meringue powder and cream of tartar with a whisk (or hand mixer, if you don't want an arm workout) until light and frothy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to mix for about 5 minutes (even longer if you're doing it by hand!) until stiff peaks form. If you're using a whisk you're going to wish you used a hand mixer. Add a couple of drops of green food coloring.

Using a spatula, scrape all of the icing into a small ziploc bag and squeeze out the air. Snip off one small corner.

1. Break the graham cracker in half then use a knife to saw the other half in half again.

2. Pipe a line of icing on the bottom edge of the half-graham cracker and stand it up on the paper plate.

3. Pipe a line of icing on the short edge and up one long edge of the 1/4-graham cracker and attach it to either side of the larger cracker, forming the back and side of the sukkah.

4. Do the same for the other side.

5. Allow it to dry for a few minutes. I usually do this part ahead of time when I'm working with the preschool kids because they have difficulty being careful and patient. Once dry, its a pretty sturdy structure.

6. Pipe on a line of icing on top short edges of the sukkah so that you can lay the pretzel dipping sticks across the top to form the roof.

7. Open up your fruit snacks or candies and put a dab of icing on the top of each piece so that they can adhere to the roof of your sukkah.

8. Use other candy or other edible decorations in any way you like to decorate your sukkah.

9. Don't forget your skhakh! Put some icing on top of the pretzels to simulate the palm fronds for the roof!

10. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A PICTURE because they're so cute! THEN you can eat it! :)

Next year, I'm going to figure out a way to put some edible Ushpizin  (exalted guests) in the sukkah!



This year, I was struck with intense creativity which resulted in a new craft project for Sukkot--making a lulav and etrog!

Lulav and Etrog

First, we'll make the etrog.

Materials:
paper towel or newspaper
masking tape
Crayola model magic in yellow and light green
a small twig

1. ball up the paper towel or newspaper into a rough etrog shape
2. use the masking tape to hold the shape
3. mix a small amount of each of the colors of model magic then use it to cover the shape.
4. stick a tiny twig into the pointy end of the covered etrog and allow the whole thing to dry completely.

Next, the lulav. The lulav consists of three elements: an unopened palm frond, 2 willow branches, and 3 myrtle branches. These are wrapped together to form the "lulav".

Materials:

6" X 12" piece of tan or brown cardstock
12" piece of light green cardstock, cut on the diagonal
Three 1" X 8" pieces of dark green cardstock
Two 3" X 9" pieces of dark green construction paper
Clear packing tape or scotch tape
Scissors
Pencil
Stapler (optional)

1. Keeping the two 3" X 9" pieces of construction paper together, fold them in half lengthwise. You can staple the end to make cutting easier.

2. Trace a simple willow leaf shape as in the photo above and cut out the two pieces at the same time. Set aside. If this is too difficult (for pre-K, it takes some patience to cut out) have the children cut "fringe" instead--straight lines cut on the diagonal, about 1 centimeter apart, stopping about 1/2 centimeter away from folded edge.

3. Keeping the three 1" X 8" pieces of cardstock together, trace a simple myrtle leaf shape. You can staple the pieces together at the end to make cutting easier. Cut the shape out.

4. Fold the 12" piece of cardstock around to form the unopened palm frond--with the long side of the triangle facing you, fold about 1 inch up. Continue folding over and over until you are out of paper. Tape down the pointy flap. Fold up about 3 inches on one end to make this piece flat on one end and pointy on the other.

5. Lay the 6" X 12" piece of cardstock with one of the long sides facing you. Fold up one- to one-and-a-half inch up repeatedly, until you have formed a flat tube. Place the two willow branches into one end of the tube, the three myrtle branches into the other end then fold the tube in half so that both ends are facing up. Place the palm in between the two tubes. Tape it together.


Holding the etrog in your left hand and the lulav in the right, you are holding the "four species"!