SEPTEMBER 28 • 2023 | 33
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emple Israel clergy and staff like 
to be inclusive when it comes 
to activities, and so they made 
a five-minute video celebrating Sukkot 
to be shared online by Jewish people 
everywhere.
Sukkah is the video that gets the 
spotlight as it aims attention on the 
structure that is at the center of the 
holiday. The video features a parody of 
a pop song, fun dancing and comedy 
interactions with all to be enjoyed for free 
beginning the day after Yom Kippur. 
The video remains available during the 
holiday, Sept. 29-Oct. 6, and afterward 
through sites such as YouTube and 
Facebook.
“We want to spread the joy of Sukkot,” 
said Cantor Michael Smolash, who 
developed and participated in the video 
with Cantor Neil Michaels and Maya 
Grinboim, director of music production 
for the temple. 
“The whole idea of Sukkot is that it 
takes place as the most joyous holiday in 
the Jewish calendar. After getting through 
Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah and the 
repentance linked to that, this video is all 
about joy,” Smolash said.
“This video is taking a very popular 
song and showing how you can celebrate 
to have fun, be a little silly, dance and be 
together in the sukkah.”
The music is from the song “Sugar” 
by Maroon 5, and the new lyrics are 
by Smolash, Grinboim and Canadian 
comedian Simon Rakoff, who polished the 
final lyrics. Rakoff is known personally to 
Smolash because the comedian is a cousin 
of Smolash’s wife. 
Part of making the video was to appeal 
to all ages, and the musicians helping 
with that included Larry Prentiss on 
electric bass, Steve Nolton on drums and 
percussion, and Bryan Pope on electric 
guitars and synth. 
“Little kids will like it,” Smolash said. 
“
Adults will get more of the jokes, and 
teenagers will dig the Maroon 5 song.”
The following shows how lyrics were 
changed from the original song:
Original Lyrics
I don’t wanna be needing your love.
I just wanna be deep in your love.

And it’s killing me when you’re away.
Ooh, baby.
’Cause I really don’t care where you 
 are
I just wanna be there where you are.
And I gotta get one little taste.

Parody Lyrics
I don’t care if there’s bamboo on top
Or if it’s covered in natural schach.
When I’m in it, it shows me the truth. 
 Ooh baby.
’Cause I love me the way that it feels
And I’m gonna eat all of my meals
Sittin’ under that sweet little booth.

There is a chorus that serves as a 
reminder of the spiritual visitors explained 
as being part of the holiday:
“I’ll soak up the unseen and welcome all 
those ushpizin (visitors).”
This will be the 10th music video that 
Temple Israel has produced. It is funded by 
Carol and Herbert Lawson so no money 

had to come from the temple treasury. The 
earlier videos were based on holidays and 
prayers, and one has had about 1 million 
viewers. 
“The cast of the Sukkot video includes 
Neil and me as well as the rabbis and 
congregants,” Smolash said. “
At Temple 
Israel, we want our community and 
beyond to celebrate Sukkot and be happy 
and have fun in a way that is free for 
everyone.”
The video is part of the Temple Israel 
holiday celebration titled “Sukkahpalooza” 
with programming on each day of the 
Sukkot holiday as well as beyond. It runs 
Sept. 28-Oct. 8. Activities begin with 
Sukkot decorating and move into services 
and parties. A calendar of events is on the 
Temple Israel website (temple-israel.org).
Cantor Smolash began working on this 
holiday video during the pandemic, put it 
away and pulled it out again to finalize.
“We decided it was going to be a 
great project for this year,” Smolash 

OUR COMMUNITY
SUKKOT

Temple Israel produces fun Sukkot video 
featuring a parody of a pop song.
Some Sukkot Fun

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Cantors Neil Michaels 
and Michael Smolash

continued on page 35