On Oct. 23, the western Monmouth County community will again celebrate the festive holiday of Sukkot from 1-4 p.m. at Congress Hill Farms, Monroe Township, near Englishtown.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Monmouth County, 10 western Monmouth County synagogues and Chabad of Western Monmouth County are co-sponsoring this celebration, which will feature a large sukkah, Klezmer music, hayrides, pony rides, fishing and more. There will be food available for purchase, inflatable rides, face painting, balloon sculptures and craft activities to create sukkah decorations.
The synagogue partners are Temple Beth Shalom, Manalapan; Marlboro Jewish Center, Marlboro; Temple Rodeph Torah, Marlboro; Temple Shaari Emeth, Manalapan; Temple Shalom, Aberdeen; Congregation Kol Am, Freehold; Freehold Jewish Center, Freehold; Temple Beth Ahm, Aberdeen; Howell Jewish Center, Howell; and Congregation Sons of Israel, Manalapan.
The festival of Sukkot begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur. Sukkot has dual significance, historical and agricultural. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the 40-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters (sukkah). Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as the Festival of Ingathering.
Tickets for the Sukkot celebration are $10 per family in advance or $15 per family at the door. Tickets can be purchased at any of the co-sponsoring synagogues, Chabad, or at the Jewish Federation’s Manalapan office at 100 Route 9 North, Galleria Mall, in Manalapan. For more information and directions to Congress Hill Farms, contact the federation’s Manalapan office at (732) 866-4300.