Sukkot is one of Judaism’s most joyful holidays. Known as the Festival of Booths, it commemorates both the Israelites’ journey through the desert and the bounty of the harvest. For seven days, Jews around the world dwell in the sukkah, a temporary outdoor shelter with a roof of branches, reminding us of both the fragility of life and the abundance of G!d’s creation.
But Sukkot is more than a historical or agricultural celebration. At its heart, it asks us to reflect on how we share that abundance, and how we can respond to the persistent problem of food insecurity in our own communities.
The Torah describes Sukkot as a harvest festival:
“You shall hold the festival of Sukkot for seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress.”
Deuteronomy 16:13
This is a time of gratitude, when the land yields its fruits and the community gathers to celebrate. Yet even in the Torah’s command to rejoice, there is a reminder to be inclusive.
“You shall rejoice in your festival, with your son and daughter, your male and female servant, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow in your communities.”
Deuteronomy 16:14
From the very beginning, the festival was not meant only for those who had plenty, it was a time to ensure that everyone, including the most vulnerable, had a share in the harvest joy.
The Torah consistently links agricultural prosperity with responsibility toward those less fortunate. Farmers were commanded to leave portions of their fields unharvested so that those in need could gather food.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your G!d.”
Leviticus 23:22
This commandment is read during the Torah portion for Sukkot, making the connection explicit. The joy of abundance is incomplete if the hungry are left without.
Today, we no longer gather in fields with sheaves of wheat or baskets of grapes. Yet the challenge of food insecurity remains pressing. Sukkot provides a framework for addressing this need. Just as the sukkah is open and welcoming, so too should our tables be. Many Jewish communities mark the holiday by organizing food drives, volunteering at food banks, or donating meals. In this way, the mitzvot of Sukkot become acts of justice, ensuring that no one is left outside the celebration of abundance. Abundance comes with responsibility. As we shake the lulav and etrog, symbols of unity across differences, we are reminded that a community is only whole when all are nourished.
Sukkot is an opportunity to support food justice initiatives and to donate to or volunteer with local food banks. It is a reminder to advocate for systemic change by supporting policies that reduce hunger and improve access to fresh, healthy food. It calls us to celebrate the harvest with joy, but also to open our hands and hearts. As the Torah teaches,
“You shall be altogether joyful.”
Deuteronomy 16:15
True joy comes not from abundance alone, but from ensuring that everyone has a share in it. By linking the ancient lessons of the harvest to the modern fight against food insecurity, we make Sukkot not only a festival of remembrance but a living call to justice and compassion.