When I was 15 years old, I really wanted a sukkah. There was one at our synagogue, but I dreamed of having my own sukkah.
I asked my parents if we could have a sukkah of our own, but my parents said, “No, maybe next year, but not this year.” I was disappointed.
But then, on the night before Sukkot, my parents told me that they had asked friends of theirs about their old sukkah. The friends told my parents that they had the wooden frame from their old sukkah in their garage and that I was welcome to use it to build a sukkah.
I could hardly sleep that night after hearing this great news.
Early in the morning, I headed to my parents’ friends’ garage and carried back all the pieces of wood I needed to build the frame of the sukkah.
When I got all the wood home, I realized that even if I somehow managed to put it together, all I would have was the frame for a wall-less sukkah. And there were only 10 hours left to go before Sukkot.
But the dream was too wonderful for me to give up, so I got to work. I banged a nail here and cut a piece of wood there, as I prayed for my sukkah to grow.
At about 11 AM while I was banging away, my Israeli neighbor, Yossi, walked by. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m building a sukkah,” I replied.
For the first time in the history of East 82 Street in Canarsie, Brooklyn, the sounds of sukkah building were heard in the air.
Yossi quickly ran home and returned in a flash with a proper hammer and a working saw. “At the rate you’re going, you’ll finish by Passover. Move over and let me give you a hand.” For the first time in the history of East 82 Street in Canarsie, Brooklyn, the sounds of sukkah building were heard in the air.
After awhile, another neighbor, Lenny Waldman, walked by and asked, “What you guys doing?”
“We’re building a sukkah,” I said.
Lenny looked at us and asked, “What’s going to be the roof for your little sukkah?” Suddenly I realized that in the rush to build the sukkah I had forgotten about the most important part – its special kind of roof!
“I don’t know, but we will think of something. We need something which grows which won’t wither during the eight day holiday.” Lenny, who was a quiet man, said nothing as he disappeared into his house.
A few moments later, he reappeared with a ladder and a large pair of shears. He began to cut large branches from the huge evergreen tree in my front yard. “I always wondered why you let it grow so large,” Lenny said aloud, as he continued to buzz the tree.
Henry Gordon, who lived with his 92-year-old mother and drove a cab in the city, was parking his cab as he heard Lenny cutting my large evergreen tree. “Lenny, what you doing?” he asked.
“The young fellow next door is building a sukkah and I am helping him out with covering,” he replied.
“Well, the frame looks okay, but what are they using for walls?” Henry asked.
“Beats me,” said Lenny, “Ask the kid.”
“What about the walls? Where are they?” Henry asked me.
“I don’t know, I guess I’ll grab some old sheets and tack them to the frame.”
Henry looked at Yossi, the Israeli builder. He glanced at Lenny, the tree-trimmer and then he said, “I have an idea, I’ll be back soon.”
Ten minutes later, he reappeared pushing a wheelbarrow full of doors. “When I drive around the city, anytime I see an old door, I stop the cab and throw it in the trunk. I don’t know why, but I’ve been doing it for years. Let me donate them as walls for your sukkah”.
Yossi, Henry and I began to attach the doors to the frame and as the sun began to move downward in the sky, my sukkah began to stand up.
Murray Cohen was the last neighbor to come across the street. “Hey, what are you all doing?” he asked. Then he answered his own question. “Hey it looks like you’re building a sukkah. Wow, I’ve never seen one of those around Canarsie.”
Murray looked at the motley crew and said, “Wait one minute. I have something for you,”and he ran across the street to his house.
He returned with a large sheet of green felt. “I fix pool tables for a living, and when they redo the old tables they give me the old green felt. I have no use for it but I think if we staple the felt to the doors it will give the sukkah a real homey feeling.”
Soon Murray was stapling felt across the doors as Lenny put the finishing touches on the evergreen roof and Yossi, the sukkah builder, hammered in the final nail.
It was 6 PM. Candle lighting was just minutes away, but as I looked at Lenny, Yossi, Henry and Murray and then at my sukkah, I saw that sometimes dreams do come true.
That night, as I was about to make Kiddush in my sukkah with my family, there was a knock on the sukkah door. In walked Lenny who said, “Hey, looks pretty cozy in here.”
Soon Henry appeared, explaining that he was simply admiring his handiwork, followed by Yossi and Murray who both said, “Let’s see how this sukkah really works.”
As I recited Kiddush, I glanced at the faces of Yossi, Lenny, Murray and Henry, proudly standing in my dream sukkah.
Many years have passed since then and even though I now have a large, roomy sukkah, I fondly remember the most beautiful, precious sukkah I ever had – my first sukkah, the one we all built together.
(13) Jody Eisenman, September 23, 2018 12:11 AM
Great story!
I was priveleged to be there.
(12) Chana Miriam Zelasko, September 27, 2015 8:28 AM
Chag Samayach
I didn't even read the article yet, but I was so happy to see Bracha's name in print, I couldn't wait to say "Hi". Nice to read your name, Bracha! Chag Samayach!
(11) Doc, September 26, 2015 8:50 PM
Canarsie
I grew up in Canarsie; it brought memories of 92nd street where I lived and Bubby and Zaidy
(10) yisroel, September 25, 2015 3:38 PM
Beautiful! May we all be zocheh
...to dwell in such a Sukkah of Shalom, as we daven every Friday Night "ufros aleinu sukkas shlomecha!"
(9) Anonymous, September 25, 2015 2:23 PM
Achdus
Wish there was more achdus in this generation. Loved the story! Thanks for sharing.
Chag Sameyach!
(8) Marcia, September 25, 2015 2:22 AM
A Sukkah Grows in Brooklyn
What a heart-warming story -- and true! The power of a dream to fulfill a mitzvah and to engage other Jews!
Thank you for sharing!
(7) Anonymous, September 24, 2015 7:26 PM
"For the first time in the history of East 82 Street in Canarsie, Brooklyn, the sounds of sukkah building were heard in the air."
You're so wrong on this. I grew up in Canarsie and there were many Sukkot in the East 80's streets especially on East 82nd St.
What year was this article published? It's a nice article anyway but, you need to expand on some facts.
Sharon Feifer, January 21, 2020 8:52 AM
I like the story, but I also grew up on E. 82 St. in Canarsie and we had a sukka and so did many others. mid 60's until 1973.
(6) Bracha Melzer, September 24, 2015 6:10 PM
Mi K'amcha Yisrel
What a wonderful way to go from Yom Kippur to reading this story of building, achdus and all different types of members of Klal Yisroel.
(5) Anonymous, September 24, 2015 5:10 PM
I felt as if I was there with excitement
Anyone reading this little article can feel its enormous impact! A natural flow of comradeship, excitement of having one's own sukka , the pride in being part of building and using the sukka. It is easy to understand why that first Sukka was one that stays in your heart and mind. Thank you for sharing
(4) Laura, September 24, 2015 3:01 PM
The best sukkahs are the ones filled with LOVE and teamwork!
(3) Anonymous, September 24, 2015 2:26 PM
Beautiful Story! Thank you for sharing this!
I have tears in my eyes. What a beautiful and heartwarming story. Thank you so, so much for sharing this. What a special sukkah made with love and from the hearts of these special mitzvah partners! :) :)
(2) debbie hamburg, September 24, 2015 10:41 AM
enjoyed the article
I also lived in that area, Georgetown, in the 1970's. We would hear the sounds of kiddush and zimiros throughout the neighborhood. It was inspiring!
(1) Jewish Mom, September 24, 2015 8:17 AM
How perfect!
This beautiful story perfectly depicts the holiday of Succos, whose alternate name is "zeman simchaseinu" - the time of our joy. A prominent feature of the holiday is shaking the Four Species with are tied together, symbolizing the unity of all Jews, different as they may be. Another feature is hospitality - sharing one's succah with guests. This lovely story of unity ends with sitting together at kiddush. Each person made a unique contribution in his area of expertise which he so generously shared - a good lesson for life!
Chag sameach!