Israeli Jews have been preparing for the holiday of Sukkot, or the feast of the Tabernacles, which commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt around 3,200 years ago [EPA]
Published On 14 Oct 200814 Oct 2008
The word Sukkot is the plural of the Hebrew word 'sukkah', which means booth or hut. During the holiday, many Jews build a temporary structure which represents the type of huts in which the ancient Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert [AFP]
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Many people hang decorations such as dried or plastic fruit, streamers, shiny ornaments, and pictures from the interior walls and ceiling beams of a sukkah [AFP]
The roof of the sukkah must be made of organic material - often palm leaves, bamboo sticks or pine branches - that is detached from the ground [AFP]
Members of the Samaritan community, which numbers less than 800 people, pray at Mount Gerizim, their most holy site, during the Sukkot celebrations [AFP]
In modern day Israel, Sukkot is a seven-day holiday, with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals [EPA]
