As the Jewish High Holy Days draw to a close, the focus shifts from the solemnity of Yom Kippur to the jubilant celebration of the festival of Sukkot.

In the Jewish diaspora, Sukkath is an eight-day festival beginning on the fifth day after Yom Kippur.

Sukkath is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles. This refers to special huts, called sukkah, that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before reaching the Promised Land.

During Sukkath, observant Jews build similar huts and actually live in them for eight days, as a reminder of how G-d protected the Jews in the desert thousands of years ago.

The huts, or sukkah, must be built in a certain way. There are four walls, usually of wood. The roof is made of a special material called "schach” that leaves the stars in the sky visible. Today bamboo is commonly used, but in the days when bamboo was not available in Ukraine, tree branches with leaves were used.

Of course, if it’s raining or snowing outside, Jews sleep and eat in their homes. However, it is obligatory to at least make a blessing in the hut.

For Jews, the celebration of Sukkath helps to renew their dedication and commitment to the Almighty and His laws. Therefore, while it is not always easy to live in these huts, it is ultimately a great commitment.

Sukkath concludes with a special two-day holiday. The first is Shemini Atzeret, meaning "the 7th day of assembly." On this day Jews pray for rain in Israel, to replenish the reservoirs so there would be sufficient water over winter and to irrigate the fields during the following spring and summer.

Sometimes on the Shemini Atzeres festival it also rains in Ukraine. When this happens local Ukrainians refer to the festival as "Kuchki." This is a good-natured joke that attributes any rain at this time of year to the Jewish tabernacles, or huts.

The final day of Sukkath is Simchat Torah, or as Jews in Halychyna say in Yiddish … Simchas Toyreh. This means "the joy of Torah.” On this day Jews rejoice by singing and dancing with the Torah scrolls.

In translation, Torah means a code of civil law which governs a person from birth until death. Religious Jews consider the Torah a great gift because those who observe its laws faithfully are always happy and safe.

As the Yiddish saying goes: Gliklech iz der Yid vos lernt Toyre wos darf mir noch mer! "Happy is the Jew who learns Torah that we do need nothing more that that!"

In Ukraine today, Jews can often be seen openly carrying a Torah scroll, called a Seyfer Toyre in Yiddish.

In a country where Jews are a minority, it is a great joy to be able to keep an observant Jewish life. With the pressing problems that still exist in Ukraine, it’s easy to forget that a mere 20 years ago, openly observant Jews were in constant risk of losing their livelihoods.  

On behalf of all of us at the Jewish Heritage Museum in Lviv, and in particular Jewish Ukrainians, please allow me to extend best wishes for the coming year.