Yes! Sukkot is Zeman Simchateinu – The Time of Our Rejoicing.
We took our first-ever Jewish Enrichment Center field trip, to the Garfield Park Conservatory. It was ninety straight minutes of, “You absolutely have to see this!” and “Look at that shape!”
We took notes, drew pictures, took a ton of photos, and developed elaborate plans for sukkot based on the plants and weather in different climates. We imagined sukkot with streams running through them, sukkot with rock walls covered in tiny plants, sukkot with giant palm fans as their sides.
We found botanical jokes in the Cactus Room, like the Elephant Tree, which was only 18 inches tall.
We took videos of ourselves sliding down the slide in the children’s room. Because it was fun.
When our brains were exhausted from our looking and drawing and writing notes, we headed outside. Where we played Hide and Seek and told each other stories.
What a glorious, joyous, field trip.