By Lee Chottiner
Community Editor
How do you dwell in a small sukkah during a time of an infectious pandemic? Take your turn.
That’s exactly how JOFEE, the Jewish sustainability group in Louisville will observe the Festival of Booths in October – one of several scaled-down Sukkot observances across the city.
JOFEE, which stands for Jewish Outdoor Farming & Environmental Education, will organize a “socially distant Sukkot celebration” with the Young Adult Division on Oct. 11 to celebrate the new Community Garden, said JOFEE Director Alayna Altman..
“The sukkah will be made in advance to ensure social distancing,” Altman said. “We’ll be giving out Sukkot packages with directions and fruit.”
But as for dwelling in the sukkah, “one or two at a time will be allowed inside,” she said, “with masks on always.
Contact Altman at aaltman@jewishlouisville.org for more details.
It won’t be the only Sukkot program in Louisville.
Temple Shalom members will hold Sukkot services at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2.
Volunteers will decorate the sukkah in shifts on Sunday, Oct. 4. Signups are required. An Ice Cream Dreams truck will be on hand for the volunteers. Email information@templeshalomky.org for details.
The Temple will stream Sukkot services at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct 3; Erev Simchat Torah at 7 p.m., all on thetemplelouky.org/streaming.
The Temple Young Adults will hold “Stuff Yourself for Sukkot” at 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4 – its first in-person event of the year. The event, which is for ages 22-35, will be marked by eating stuffed foods — a traditional food enjoyed on the holiday, according to The Temple. Visit thetemplelouky.org/YA-Sukkot to RSVP.
Chabad will roll out its “Family Mobile Sukkah,” travelling through Louisville neighborhoods from Oct. 5 to 8, enabling people to simultaneously observe the holiday and CDC guidelines. Contact Rabbi Avrohom Litvin at 502-459-1770 or genesis@chabadky.com to make a reservation.
At Adath Jeshurun, Sukkot services will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 3 (first day of Sukkot) and Oct. 4 (second day of Sukkot). All services will be held via Zoom. To subscribe, send your request to info@adathjeshurun.com.
Keneseth Israel will hold erev Sukkot services at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, first day service at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, and 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 4.
Anshei Sfard will hold services on the first day of Sukkot at 9 a.m. (Shacharit) and 6:50 p.m. (Mincha/ Maariv); and on the second day at 9 a.m. and 6:55 p.m. Yom Tov ends at 8 p.m.
(Service times for Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah for the congregations can be found can be found in Around Town.)