Sukkot in Jerusalem

This year we have the privilege of being the place that YHVH chose to put His Name for the Feast of Sukkot. We thought that it would be a good idea to give you an idea of what it would be like to join us for such a special appointment.

This year the city is really packed!  We have never seen Jerusalem this busy.  The hotels and hostels are turning people away because they are fully booked.  The streets are crowded like you have never seen before.

Everywhere in the streets you can see Sukkahs of all different shapes and sizes.  You can even purchase some Sukkah kits to build your own Sukkah.  Maybe next year IKEA will have a flatpack Sukkah as well!

Sukkot is one of the harvest feasts.  The olives, pomegranates, grapes and dates have now been harvested.  Some trees in the city still have some of their fruit.

We also had the privilege of watching the first re-enactment of the water libation ceremony of the Temple Institute. We joined them at the City of David, after they had collected the water from the spring of Shiloach. The priests then carried the water past the Temple Mount to the Jewish Quarter in the Old City.  Along the way we hear a lot of music, with singing and dancing.  Once we got to the Old City there was a ceremony at a plain next to the new Synagogue.  Lots of people showed up to watch the show.

Every year during the feast of Sukkot the ICEJ also hosts their annual Sukkot conference in Jerusalem.  This year Joseph Dumond from SightedMoon also had a booth to introduce the Sabbatical Years to the attendees.  I helped Joseph one evening and bumped into a number of very interesting people.  I was pleasantly surprised by the number of attendees that already keep the Shabbat and the moedim of YHVH.

Every year at the end of the ICEJ conference, the city also hosts the Friends of Israel march.  During this march lovers of Israel join together to march through the streets to show their love for the country.  This year the march was joined by around 60,000 people.

The city is always one big feast.  This is very clearly seen by the number of musicians that can be seen on every sidewalk of the city.  You cannot walk too far without bumping into some wonderful live music.

To wrap up – some random shots of the City that YHVH chose to put His name!

We pray that next year YHVH will allow us all to get together in His city!

Shalom!