101111Powl
A
Halley Uzansky, ,holding her son Jesse,3, entertains
his preschool claAom Congregation Shaarey Zedek
in their family sukkahin Bloomfield
'
■ ,/ of Birmi)t9h: Aooks
Family.
Traditio
Annual sukkah party
just continues to grow
in fun and spirit.
Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor
H
alley Uzansky was pregnant and working as a manicurist six years ago when a new family tradition began.
"I was talking to my customer about the holidays and Sukkot was a few days away and it hit me that it
would be great to build a sukkah," she recalled.
She did some research and found a hardware store in Commerce owned by a Jewish man who sold sukkahs. She
decided to bounce the idea off her husband, Mark.
"He was sleep deprived from being on call the night before, but I was really excited and full of energy thinking about this
great plan. I said, 'Can we buy a sukkah?' I think he dropped the phone and after retrieving it he said maybe I was on to
something."
It was delivered the next day, and the planning, inviting and cooking began for their first sukkah party.
"That Sunday it was so beautiful outside and everyone came; it was amazinC Halley said. "Our families were so united
in our sukkah that this would become an annual tradition."
Each year the decorations improved, and the guest list eventually grew to more than 100 family members and
friends, including Congregation Shaarey Zedek's Beth Hayled class.
"Each year we continue to think of new traditions and improvements for the simcha," she said. "We try to make it
fun for everyone while also maintaining a religious feel.
"People sometimes ask us why we go to so much 'trouble and expense; and Mark and I just look at each other
and smile. It may be the best investment we ever made." El
5 UKKAH
Jesse Uzansky, 3,
Bloomfield Hills
checks out the-aapple
,wall' in his sukkah.
Guests decorate an
tipple each year for
-
the wall.
Staff photos by Angie Bean
MIN
phia Aaron, 3, of We l§lodThf ,
,.4
,
..
4
,-,
L illian Beavers, 3, of Farmington Hi
Alexa Feldman, 3, Farmington Hills
and Emily ansky; 3
shakes the lulay.
Hills
0
October 19 2006
35