Our New York City Sukkah: The Challenge (Part 1 of 2)
By Rabbi David Woznica
I was fortunate to spend 13 exciting years in New York City before joyfully returning to my native Los Angeles in 2001. I had many memorable Jewish experiences in the Big Apple. The holiday of Sukkot stands out for reasons you are not likely to expect.
Here’s the challenge: Where does one build a sukkah in New York City (or any urban center)?
My family’s last apartment was on the upper west side of Manhattan at the intersection of West End Avenue and 104th Street. There were many practicing Jews in the building (a few Orthodox and many non-Orthodox-but-observant). This Jewish make-up was common in our neighborhood.
Virtually everyone in Manhattan lives in apartment buildings. Balconies are rare and usually very small. There are virtually no back or front yards. Like many cities, it is an urban concrete jungle.
Where, then, does one build a sukkah?
My fellow apartment dwellers came up with an interesting solution, which I look forward to sharing in tomorrow’s edition.
Rabbi David Woznica
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