Picture the Kosel on Chol Hamoed morning, a sea of lulavim swaying together as the sun comes up over the Old City. That is the prize behind this year's Succos in Yerushalayim Raffle, now in its 31st year: seven round trip tickets from New York to Israel, 11 days of accommodations, $1,000 in spending cash, an 11 day car rental, and a mehudar lulav and esrog waiting for you when you land. The winner can also take the full package as $18,000 cash instead.
>> Enter now while the Rosh Chodesh sale is live
The raffle runs on behalf of Bais Yaakov High School of Chicago. Since 1991, the school has built a dual curriculum meant to carry its students past graduation, not just through it, developing self-confidence, leadership, and the kind of grounding Sara Schenirer had in mind when she started the Bais Yaakov movement. Every ticket sold funds that education directly.
Right now, any package of $72 or more gets an extra ticket free under the Rosh Chodesh flash sale, on top of the standard tiers: $36 for one ticket, $100 for seven, $180 for 15, and up through $1,000 for 200 tickets. For $50 more on any package, entrants can add a shot at an additional $18,000 cash if they take first prize, bringing the total prize value to $36,000. Last year, 60% of first prize entrants had added that option.
>> Add your tickets before the sale ends
The 2025 winners were the Mannes family of Chicago, first prize, and the Braun family of Brooklyn, second prize. In 2024 it was the Palacci family of Brooklyn taking first, and the Rand family of Brooklyn taking second. Second prize this year is six round trip tickets anywhere in the continental US, worth $2,400. The drawing is set for September 3rd, corresponding to 21 Elul.
Whoever holds the winning ticket this year could be the one standing at that Kosel this Chol Hamoed, lulav in hand, with the sound of a Simchas Beis Hashoeva carrying through the Old City behind them.