The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-10-01
JEWISH
FESTIVAL.
II Is Being Generally OBJ
served Throughout
This City.

The jewish Feast of Days began at
| sunset last evsnins and will continue nino
days. Service was held in the city syno-
| gogues to-day, and will continue to-lnor.
row and OH Sunday October 7, s and 8.
The festival takes Its name, Succoth--
bootls-frOm the command found in Le-
viticus to dwell In tonts during tho seven
days OF the feast So far as possible tho
orthodox Jews obey the Injunction. They
have booths decorated with evergreen and
moro or less elaborate according to tho
space at their disposal elected in tho yards
OF their dwellings, Here during the week
the meals arc served, and while tho com.
mand, like the ma jority of Jewish COM
mands, is incumbent upon tho adult nalo
members of tho family only, tho other
members Of the family, the younger ones
particularly, feel that it is privilege to
join their elders in the booths during tho
Succoth meals.
The booths are built in such q way that
the upper part Is open to tho sky or IL
mercy lightly covered by boughs of trees.
It Is customary In the home, of Jewish
families, in certain parts of Northern
Europe, for one of tho rooms to be so con.
struoted hat the roof may be removed.
During tho Feast of Tabernaoles boughs
are brought in, the room Is t. transformed
into booth and becomes the abiding
place of the family until the feast season is
over.
In New York and In some Of tho larger
cities whero the apartment house syst IN
of living prevailC 1t is practically impos-
sible for indivuals to obey the injunction.
To fulfill thelaw booths capable of acco m
modating sometimes as many as two or
three hundred people are erected near the
synagogles. After the services the mem
bers of the synaGogues gather in the booths
and partake of q festal meal.
Saturday morning during the reading Of
the Psalms of Thanksgiving In the syna-
gogues. the reader will hold in his hand
fesial bouquet mado Of branches of the
''goodlv trees'-willow, myrtle and palm.
This is In accordance with the command,
And ys shall take you on the first day
the boughs of goodly trees, branches of
palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees
and willows of the brook, and ye shall re-
jolce before the Lord your God seven days
As tie Psalms arc read, tho rabbi will ex.
tend the branches Of the ''goodly trees"
toward the east. the west the north and
the south, to indicate that the blessings of
the year have como from all quarters.
Iheso feStal bouquets are imported from
aboard, and the orthodox temples not
only the rabbis, but the members Of the
congregation will carry them. Att par
ticular part in the service they will march
around tho altar. waving the branches.
Tho Conclusion Feast comes October8,
following Immediately after the Feast Of
Tabernacles. 1t is distinct festival. but
rs it comes so close to Succoth 1t Is incor.
porated with it. Tho Conclusion Feast is
not only a sort of addenda to the Feast of
! !abernackles, but to the whole cycle Of
Jewish religious festivals. When the fes-
ivals were celebrated in Jerusalem, those
who had gone up to the city met together
IN that day Of tho Conclusion Feast for q
inal service before separating until tho
passover time. AS much of the prosperity
II the country depended upon the rain or
lew which would fall. special prayers for
ain were recited before tho final farewclls
vere said. In the orthodox synagogues
,rayers still form part Of the service of the
Conclusion Feast The day after the Con.
lusion Feast is celebrated in the ortho-
OK temples as the day Of Rejoicing With
he law