The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-10-09
JEWISH SEASON
 OF THANKSGIVING GREAT FESTIVAL
Feast of Tabernacles One of Most Important on
 Calendar.

The Jews today are celebrating the Feast of ThbeFpacies (suceeth). The holiday Is one of the most important ones in the Jewish calendar. and ex- tends from October to October 16. Orthodox Jews observe all nine days, while Reform Jews keep only eight days.
 The succoth Festival is based upon two fundamental ideas. It is, first of all the harvest festival, a period cele- brated with great joy by the Jews of long ago in Palestine, a festival of rejoicing and thanksgiving to God for His bounteous crops. The festival has, likewise, historical significance It commentaries the successful forty year journey of the Israelites through the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt, and Is reminiscent of the fact that the Israel!tes dweIt in booths (Succoth) during this entire period.
 For this reason the Jews are con- manded in the Bible to dwell in booths during the festival, a custom which is quite popularly observed even today. Where climate conditions permit, the Jews erect wooden booths roofed over with leaves and palm branches and spend part of their time therein. Where climatic conditions do not permit, a Succoth is erected in the synagog or on the synagog grounds. The Feast of Tabernacles Is one of the most joyful of all the Jewish festivals and is always ob- served with great rejoicing and glad mass.
 In this part of the country ever greens, are used for the roofs of the Succoth. A palm branch and a citron, symbolic of the fruits which once grew in the fertile fields of Pales- tine, are used in the ceremonies Of the holiday.
 Only on the first two and the last two of the nine days do the Jews lay aside their worldly Iabors and rest The last day is termed "Sinchas Tor ah," meaning happiness in the Torah. for it Is the Torah or the old testa- ment that has kept the race intact. On this day the Jews celebrate .ne goodness of God, and nothing of sad ness Is allowed 10 mar the days joy ousnes and glory. Last Saturday the Jews observed Tom Kippur, the Day Of Atonement, and that was a day of most solemn sorrow, into which no part of symbol of happiness must enter.
 
 the Feast of Tabernacles made yes terday by Rabbi Abraham Nowak of the Emanuel Congregation:-
 The Feast of Tabernacles Is the Jewish season of thanksgiving. It Is the origin of, and has much in common with the American Thanks giving. The Jew is called upon to rejoice and to be glad for the years bounty He is also called upon to share his joy with the stranger, the fatherless and the widow. The feast $ observed by waving four plants in all directions - the palm and the citron, and the myrtle and willows in acknow1edgemen of God as the sovereign and source of all good. "The succah carries the Jew in his magination back to te dusty des- erts of Arabia, where his ancestors wandered for forty years. The four plants remind him of Palestine, the Land of Promise. Thus the ideas of prosperity and poverty are con- trasted and blended, and the Jew IS | taught the lesson of Moderation anG Temperance. Judaism does not sane ton the bacchanalian and the help | ful truth that 'tman ought to remem- | Der his evil days in his days of pros l perity."
 "It is the nobility of the Jewish 1 heart never to forget the sorrow anc suffering of his fellow neighbor ever l in the height of his joy and sue cess.'