Satellite Beach Celebrates Sukkos with Sushi
Rachel Kershaw stood beneath the large, thatched sukkah, or tabernacle, Sunday and sampled freshly prepared sushi, enjoying the taste and the chance to celebrate the spiritual journeys of her forefathers.
“It’s excellent. All of the sushi was good,” said the 16-year-old West Shore Junior/Senior High student, one of nearly 80 people who turned out for a “Sushi in the Sukkot” holiday cookout at the Chabad of the Space and Treasure Coasts center.
“Everything is just fun,” Kershwa said. “And it would be cool to have a sukkah of my own, but it’s also fun to be here with everybody.”
Sukkot, a seven-day Jewish festival linked to the story of the biblical exodus, represents the temporary tabernacles or huts the ancient Hebrews lived in during 40 years of wandering in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Some families also build or decorate huts at their homes or apartments to mark the festival.
The Chabad put up a 12-by-24-foot tabernacle topped with palm fronds and brought in sushi chefs to craft kosher sushi and sashimi made with imitation crab and smoked salmon. Inside, nearly two dozen people sat and chatted at tables set with salads and other dishes.
“This is one of the most joyous holidays of the Jewish calendar,” said Rabbi Zvi Konikov, spiritual leader of the local Chabad.
“It represents the idea of unity. We all get together under one roof. It’s not the sushi, it’s all about celebrating, and if the people like sushi, we’ll make sushi. We want the people to enjoy on their terms. … That’s when we can really touch people.”
The cookout, with grilled kosher hot dogs and bounce houses, drew a cross-section of families from Brevard County’s 5,000-plus Jewish community.
“They’re friends to everyone, and you can always come in. The door is always open,” said 79-year-old Herb Most of Melbourne, who stopped by with his wife.
Mark Dobson, who built the sukkah for the Chabad in just less than four hours, agreed. He said the holiday was a reminder to keep connected to the Jewish community and its storied history.
“It’s a tabernacle,” Dobson said, looking at the temporary hut. “But it connects you to the universe and makes you understand we’re all one.”
Mariam Shapira and her family took turns waving the fragrant lulav — a bundled set of myrtle and willow branches along with a date palm frond and citron fruit — as part of the biblical commandment related to the holiday.
“Next year, we hope to have our own sukkah,” said Shapira, 30, who recently moved from Boca Raton with her husband and child.
“I love the fact that I’m reminded by the whole holiday that God is real,” Shapira said. “He provides protection for us along with and blessings.”
