Sukkot Celebration of the Harvest at Wakeman Town Farm

The public is
invited to join Sunday School children from the Congregation for Humanistic
Judaism (CHJ) and celebrate the harvest at a Sukkot party at Westport’s Wakeman
Town Farm
on Sunday, September 29 from 9:30-11:30, with an optional bring-your-own picnic
lunch until noon. Sukkot harkens back to times in ancient Israel when Jews
built huts (sukkah) near the edges of their fields during the harvest season
and decorated them with special fruits of the harvest. These dwellings provided
shade and allowed workers to spend more time in the fields and harvest their
food more quickly.

Sukkot is
celebrated from Wednesday, September 18 through the evening of Sunday,
September 25, 2013. The modern day sukkot, or booths, that Jews build during
the holiday of Sukkot is reminiscent of Israel’s agricultural history and the
Israelite exodus from Egypt. During this holiday, Jews build a temporary
structure to be used for meals throughout the holiday. The roof should be made
of organic materials and open to the sky.

For the first
time, Westport’s town-owned Wakeman Town Farm will co-sponsor a Sukkot
celebration with the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism. Children and their
parents will decorate the sukkah with the bounty from the harvest. Michael and
Carrie Aitkenhead, Stewards of Wakeman Town Farm, will lead two groups of
children on tours of the farm: One group will be for younger kids, and
educational presentations about the environment and farming will be available
for youth in 4th grade and older. Lessons and hands-on experiences
with chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, and composting stations will start off
the morning. Wakeman’s gardens will provide a variety of materials to be hung
on the sukkah.

Public hours
at the farm are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12:00-6:00 p.m. The
farmstand also runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10-6
through October. More information on this and future events, including after
school programs and summer camps, can be found at www.WakemanTownFarm.org.

Humanistic
Judaism emphasizes personal responsibility in fulfilling the Jewish ideals of
loving kindness, justice, good deeds, and giving to those in need. These
ethical ideals are shared by Jewish tradition and humanist philosophy.
Humanistic Jews practice in personally meaningful ways, consistent with a
modern understanding of the world. Sukkot offers a yearly opportunity to
remember that we are part of the natural world. It helps us appreciate the
delicate balance of the seasons. It was a natural fit with Wakeman Town Farm;
its vision is to inspire the community to unite for the mutual benefit of a
healthy environment and more sustainable future.

CHJ is a cooperative congregation run
exclusively by members, who plan educational programs, social events and
holiday observances throughout the year. Because it is a warm and welcoming
community, interfaith couples also find it to be the right place for their
families. CHJ offers a full-service Sunday School program for children ages
nursery school through Bar/Bat Mitzvah. For more information call (203)
226-5451 or visit www.HumanisticJews.org.

Humanistic Judaism is the most
recent group recognized as a major branch of Judaism by the United Jewish
Communities. The Fairfield County CHJ Congregation was founded in 1967.
Humanistic Judaism is now active in many countries throughout the world.