The Jerusalem Municipality and the Israel Electric Company are building the world's biggest and brightest sukkah in time for the upcoming Sukkot festival, which begins Wednesday evening, September 29.
A sukkah is a temporary dwelling in which Jews live for the weeklong festival of Sukkot, commemorating the 40-year period during which the Nation of Israel wandered in the desert, living in temporary shelters, before entering the Promised Land of Israel.
The huge "Sukkah of Light," which the municipality says is to be the largest and most illuminated sukkah in the world, will be built in Safra Square in Jerusalem's downtown City Hall compound. The 5,166 square-foot structure (480 square meters) will be decorated with 144,000 mini light bulbs, using 2.5 miles of electrical wiring. The lights will form the Israeli flag on one of the sukkah's four walls.
The sukkah walls will be decorated to resemble those of Jerusalem's old city, with a break in one of the walls to commemorate the destruction of the Holy Temples. Thousands of colored paper chains will also adorn the sukkah.
Jerusalem is expecting over a million visitors this Sukkot, strike permitting, and the city's main municipal holiday events are set to take place at the "Sukkah of Light." Among these events will be the mayor's receptions for foreign diplomats, Jerusalem residents and visitors, as well as the closing event of the Jerusalem Parade and Simchat Torah celebrations. The sukkah will also be open to visitors each day of the holiday.
The "Sukkah of Light" will be illuminated for the first time next Tuesday night, the night before the holiday, by Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, at 7 PM.
A sukkah is a temporary dwelling in which Jews live for the weeklong festival of Sukkot, commemorating the 40-year period during which the Nation of Israel wandered in the desert, living in temporary shelters, before entering the Promised Land of Israel.
The huge "Sukkah of Light," which the municipality says is to be the largest and most illuminated sukkah in the world, will be built in Safra Square in Jerusalem's downtown City Hall compound. The 5,166 square-foot structure (480 square meters) will be decorated with 144,000 mini light bulbs, using 2.5 miles of electrical wiring. The lights will form the Israeli flag on one of the sukkah's four walls.
The sukkah walls will be decorated to resemble those of Jerusalem's old city, with a break in one of the walls to commemorate the destruction of the Holy Temples. Thousands of colored paper chains will also adorn the sukkah.
Jerusalem is expecting over a million visitors this Sukkot, strike permitting, and the city's main municipal holiday events are set to take place at the "Sukkah of Light." Among these events will be the mayor's receptions for foreign diplomats, Jerusalem residents and visitors, as well as the closing event of the Jerusalem Parade and Simchat Torah celebrations. The sukkah will also be open to visitors each day of the holiday.
The "Sukkah of Light" will be illuminated for the first time next Tuesday night, the night before the holiday, by Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, at 7 PM.