Here at Drew University, we’ve got a very nice sukah. It lives with Drew Facilities all year and they kindly put it up for us. It’s one of these canvas affairs that has little windows. Hung the windows are signs that say “SUKKAH” and have a little explanation. Despite this, I’m constantly asked about what it is because it’s situated in the middle of our small wooded campus in a high-traffic area.
As previously mentioned, I’m praying three times daily these days. So this morning, I was in the sukah for shacharit (morning prayers). Among the hubbub of people on their way to and from class outside, I overheard a particular conversation between a few girls walking by.
Girl 1: “Oh, it’s the sukah!”
Girl 2: “Yeah, what is that thing?”
Girl 1: “It’s for this Jewish holiday…”
Girl 3 (seeing me inside in a big talit waving around my Jewish rain wand): “What is going on inside there?”
Girl 1: “Shhhh. He’s probably praying in there.”
Me (interrupting my prayer for a moment to attempt to welcome some guests into the sukah!): “I am praying, but y’all can come in if you want!”
They all giggled/screamed/made some odd noises and then went away. Just another way in which college is a strange place.
