Sukkot Caution:
West Nile Virus

Expanding The Symbolism

In Birmingham, Sukkat Shalom — a spiritual shelter of peace —
will teach about Sukkot and Israel's quest for peace.

DON COHEN

Special to the Jewish News

f only we could build peace as easily as build-
ing a sukkah (booth).
As sukkot go up at Jewish homes, syna-
gogues, schools and community centers
around the world in preparation for the holiday of
Sukkot that begins this weekend, their symbolism
extends beyond the temporary dwellings that
housed the Israelites during their 40 years in
the Sinai Desert prior to entering the Land
of Israel. The Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit and Aish HaTorah
wants us to view sukkot as physical
reminders of the Jewish and Israeli quest for
Middle East peace.
As a result, a spiritual shelter of peace, Sukkat
Shalom, will be open to visitors in front of Aish Allan
HaTorah's office in downtown Birmingham
during the Sukkot holiday. Volunteers will wel-
come guests at Sukkat Shalom from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20, and from 6-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday,
Sept. 23-26.
Sukkat Shalom was the brainchild of Allan Gale,
associate director of the Jewish Community
Council, who oversees. its Israel and international
portfolio. Attending daily services to say Kaddish for
his father who passed away last May, Gale said he
was struck by the liturgical reference to a sukkat shlo-
mecha — a tabernacle of God's peace — to be
spread over the Jewish people and the world.
"The concept of a sukkat shalom is found through-
out Jewish liturgy," explained Gale. "Even as Israel
fights a war against terrorism, polls show Israelis over-
whelmingly want peace, as do American Jews. As I
thought about how peace for Israel is dependent on
peace with all her neighbors, it seemed natural to use
the idea of a sukkat shalom to cover the region."

Gale contacted Rabbi Alon Tolwin, director of
Aish HaTorah, to ask if a sukkah could be construct-
ed in front of the Aish office on the lower garden
level, where it could be visible to passersby. Rabbi
Tolwin was happy to help.
"For well over 3,000 years, the Jews have spent
one week a year living in a sukkah, which symbol-
izes world peace," said Rabbi Tolwin. "It shows that
we are willing to do more than talk about it, we are
willing to move out of the security of our
homes into a fragile little but and expose
ourselves to the elements to get a sense of
what it is like to live in peace.
"In the same way, we must be willing to
move beyond our comfort zones to stand
with Israel in her struggle for peace," he said.
The hope is that the Sukkat Shalom will
attract Jews and non Jews interested in learn-
ing more about the holiday and also Israel's
Gale
desire for peace. The volunteers will greet visi-
tors and explain about Sukkot, its traditions
and religious importance, and the concept of sukkat
shalom. The JCCouncil will distribute literature from
a variety of sources about Israel's hope and search for
peace, suggestions for how to help Israel during this
difficult time and more about the holiday.
Additionally, the sukkah will serve a traditional
Jewish purpose, providing Jewish visitors with the
opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of sitting in the
sukkah (lashayv b'sukkah) and saying prayers over the
lulav — the palm frond, willow and myrtle bundle
— as well as the etrog (citron). 111

Sukkat Shalom is open to visitors 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20, and 6-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday,
Sept. 23-26, outside the Aish HaTorah office at
555 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham.

R

abbi E.B. "Bunny" Freedman of Oak Park
urges those who observe the commandment
to sit in a sukkah during Sukkot to take precau-
tions against West Nile virus.
"There's no need for panic, but since there's been
a number of cases, it's important to take the right
precautions, especially, for those of us who will be
eating outside," said Rabbi Freedman, director of
the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network.
According to the Atlanta-based Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Michigan's health centers have reported 161 cases
of the mosquito-borne virus, including 11 deaths.
Among those who have died of Vest Nile virus
in Michigan, two were from Royal Oak and
Ferndale, areas close to the Jewish population
center. "In Chicago, the rabbis have advised people
to put mosquito netting around their sukkot and
limiting hours," Rabbi Freedman said.
Recommended precautions include wearing long
sleeves and pants outdoors, using an insect repel-
lent with DEET, eliminating potted plants with
standing water and avoiding being outdoors at
dusk, dawn and early evening.
The CDC estimates that 20 percent of the peo-
ple who become infected will develop West Nile
fever. Its symptoms, which last for a few days, are
fever, headache and body aches, occasionally with
a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen
lymph glands.
According to the CDC, one in 150 persons
infected with the West Nile virus will develop a
more severe form of the disease, with the possibil-
ity of advancing to West Nile encephalitis,
meningitis or meningoencephalitis. Symptoms
include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, 'dis-
orientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle
weakness and paralysis.
Older adults and those Nvi th immune-compro-
mising conditions are more at risk for contracting
the severe forms of the disease. All Michigan fatali-
ties from the West Nile virus were age 60 or older.
The CDC's public hotlines for questions about
West Nile virus are open 8 a.m.-11 p.m. weekdays
and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. weekends, (888) 246-2675.

—

Diana Lieberman, ropy editor

Operation Sukkot

Traveling Chabad sukkah mobiles will bring the holiday closer.

AVI LOWELL

Special to the Jewish News

Gush Etzion, Israel
hroughout the world, the Chabad
Lubavitch Foundation is bringing obser-
vance of the holiday of Sukkot to Jewish
communities.
"For many years, Detroit Chabad groups have
constructed sukkah mobiles," says Zalman Kravitz, a
New York-based Chabad rabbinical student working
in West Bloomfield. "They attach three walls to a
pick-up truck and go around to malls and supermar-

T

kets so those who wouldn't otherwise be able to
observe the mitzvah of being in a sukkah can do
so.
Sukkah mobiles in the Detroit area are a project
of the Chabad Student Outreach program of the
Lubavitch Yeshiva in Oak Park.
"The beauty of the sukkah mobile is that it pro-
vides a mitzvah-on-the-spot for people-on-the-go,"
says Mendel Teldon, former student director of the
program. "Sukkot is symbolic of the unity of all
Jews, who sit together in the sukkah, and here we

SUKKOT on page 14

A

Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, in necks, ;nd the sukkah
mobile visit Israeli soldiers.

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9/20

2002

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