Welcome to the Indoor Sukkah

Our first year in Chicago, we weren't able to put up a sukkah (for a variety of reasons). But rather than let the holiday just pass us by, I decided to put up an indoor sukkah. I searched all over for some guidelines - but really, no one had written articles or talked too much about this concept. So...I went to my favorite sukkah supply store and I picked up some items that seemed like they'd work.

Shiny garlands of fake leaves, imitation grapes, pears, apples, and a few other rustic looking fall decorations went into my cart. Oh, and of course, stars! One of the primary rules about a sukkah is that you have to be able to see the stars through the roof. That would be a very very bad thing to happen to my kitchen...so instead I decided on some shiny star garlands and also some fluffy stars to hang.

And now that we put up a "real" sukkah outdoors (which we have been doing for a while now), we still continue to put up the indoor one as well. It is a fun family tradition that my kids really love. 

(And all the supplies fit into a nice box that lives in the basement and it all gets reused each year. Great investment!)

Yes, I certainly know that our indoor sukkah doesn't quite fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah. But I also know that it almost always rains during the holiday. And I know that we don't get to eat every meal outside (even though technically, we could or should)...and I know that decorating the house makes the whole week seem much more festive! If you're like us, the kitchen is the center of our house - we spend so much time there - it reminds us all the time of the celebration.

Plus, I think that anyone can do this - even if you don't have a yard or the ability to build a sukkah. It's just a great way to celebrate the holiday and get into the spirit of the season. So why not try it this year?