Bartels Family Sukkot Celebration Pictures
2003/5764

This was our third year celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. Our sukkot for the first two years strongly resembled the typical child's tent made of bedspreads, sheets, and rope. This year we wanted to get more fancy and actually use lumber! Of course, that drove up the cost quite a bit, but we believe we have something that can be easily taken down and rebuilt the following year. We used lattice, 2x3's, 1x2's, 2x2's, screws, machine screws, washers, and nuts. The side lattices were screwed onto their supports, but the rest is bolted, allowing for quick construction and break down, as well as minimal space for storage.

Kyle helped screw a 1x3 (part of the top) to a 2x3 leg.	I attached the lattice to the first wall supports.
This project involved the entire family. Here the two sides have been built and a few rafters intstalled. Kyle and Stephen test fit a cross support. It did not work because the younger boys had chosen some very twisted lumber, so rafters, beams, and such did not line up properly.	Despite defective lumber we were able to attach one of the two planned cross supports. Marty suggested and helped install the X-support which greatly increased the sukkah's stability. Here the rafters are attached at one foot intervals to form the roof.
Though not "kosher" we decided to install a plastic sheet on the roof to provide a modicum of protection against rain. Cup hooks were installed along the rafter and leg supports to allow the inside walls to be attached and secured. Before the project was completed, nearly 70 hooks and several screw eyes were used.	The sukkah is nearly finished. A tarp served as the base floor; a sleeping bag served as the rug. The inside walls were pinned in two places to the bottom of the lattices to help with wind. A piece of twine was run along the bottom cross support location and the inside back wall was pinned to it as well as one of the X members to help with wind. Most of the roof branches were juniper and were lashed down. Lastly, the front of the sukkah was guyed to provide much needed stability there.
Here was the altar area for our celebration. Though not really seen, above the candles was a 2.5 foot Star of David made of sticks. To the left of the altar was a palm plant, in front was a tape recorder to play praise music and a fruit basket, and to the right was a pitcher of water.	A string of fruit and a "thank chain" adorned the ceiling. Each member of the family wrote items for which he was thankful on strips of construction paper to make the "thank chain." The very top of the Mogen David may be seen in the bottom-middle of the picture. Illustrated scripture posters were hung on the walls.

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Page last modified October 13, 2003.

Comments, corrections, or suggestions may be directed to the page author, Mary-Frances Bartels