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Community Corner

Sukkot Celebration of the Harvest at Wakeman Town Farm

The public is


invited to join Sunday School children from the Congregation for Humanistic


Judaism (CHJ) and celebrate the harvest at a Sukkot party at Westport’s Wakeman


Town Farm



on Sunday, September 29 from 9:30-11:30, with an optional bring-your-own picnic


lunch until noon. Sukkot harkens back to times in ancient Israel when Jews


built huts (sukkah) near the edges of their fields during the harvest season


and decorated them with special fruits of the harvest. These dwellings provided


shade and allowed workers to spend more time in the fields and harvest their


food more quickly.







Sukkot is


celebrated from Wednesday, September 18 through the evening of Sunday,


September 25, 2013. The modern day sukkot, or booths, that Jews build during


the holiday of Sukkot is reminiscent of Israel’s agricultural history and the


Israelite exodus from Egypt. During this holiday, Jews build a temporary


structure to be used for meals throughout the holiday. The roof should be made


of organic materials and open to the sky.







For the first

time, Westport’s town-owned Wakeman Town Farm will co-sponsor a Sukkot

celebration with the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism. Children and their

parents will decorate the sukkah with the bounty from the harvest. Michael and

Carrie Aitkenhead, Stewards of Wakeman Town Farm, will lead two groups of

children on tours of the farm: One group will be for younger kids, and

educational presentations about the environment and farming will be available

for youth in 4th grade and older. Lessons and hands-on experiences


with chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, and composting stations will start off


the morning. Wakeman’s gardens will provide a variety of materials to be hung


on the sukkah.

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Public hours


at the farm are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12:00-6:00 p.m. The


farmstand also runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10-6


through October. More information on this and future events, including after


school programs and summer camps, can be found at www.WakemanTownFarm.org.







Humanistic


Judaism emphasizes personal responsibility in fulfilling the Jewish ideals of


loving kindness, justice, good deeds, and giving to those in need. These


ethical ideals are shared by Jewish tradition and humanist philosophy.


Humanistic Jews practice in personally meaningful ways, consistent with a


modern understanding of the world. Sukkot offers a yearly opportunity to


remember that we are part of the natural world. It helps us appreciate the


delicate balance of the seasons. It was a natural fit with Wakeman Town Farm;


its vision is to inspire the community to unite for the mutual benefit of a


healthy environment and more sustainable future.

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CHJ is a cooperative congregation run


exclusively by members, who plan educational programs, social events and


holiday observances throughout the year. Because it is a warm and welcoming


community, interfaith couples also find it to be the right place for their


families. CHJ offers a full-service Sunday School program for children ages


nursery school through Bar/Bat Mitzvah. For more information call (203)


226-5451 or visit www.HumanisticJews.org.







Humanistic Judaism is the most


recent group recognized as a major branch of Judaism by the United Jewish


Communities. The Fairfield County CHJ Congregation was founded in 1967.


Humanistic Judaism is now active in many countries throughout the world.

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