Community Magazine October 2019

76 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS Hol Hamoed Sukkot begins on Tuesday night, October 15 th and runs through Friday, October 18 th . Sunday, October 20 th is Hoshana Rabbah, another day we can enjoy outings with our family before we get ready for Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah. W hat better way to honor our closeness with Hashem and express our joy than by spending it with our families? The days of Hol Hamoed also include the mitzvah to be joyous and celebrate as stated in the Torah (Devarim 16:14-15), “And you shall rejoice in your festival ... and you shall only be happy.” How Will You Fulfill the Mitzvah of Being Joyous with Your Family on Hol Hamoed? Let’s focus our planning on maximizing our joy and our connection with family on those days. You will have two full days on October 16 th and 17 th and most of the day on Friday, October 18 th and Sunday, October 20 th on Hashana Rabbah. Please don’t forget that family joy and bonding include teamwork and asking your children to help you shop, cook, and prepare for erev Shabbat and Sunday. Logistics Factors to consider in Hol Hamoed planning include: Make sure your proposed venue is open on Hol Hamoed. Do you need to buy tickets in advance or make a reservation? Think about where you will eat (are there kosher restaurants with a Sukkah available for eating, and/or kosher food for sale?). Set up contingency plans if it rains. Check to see if there are nearby indoor spots your kids will enjoy. Engaging and Empowering Your Children Ask your children to do their due diligence and propose suggestions for Hol Hamoed outings. They most likely have their fingers on the pulse relative to fun happenings. The next step is to hold a family meeting and agree on which trips make sense, taking into account distance, cost, and other relevant factors. You may want to consider activities that you can’t do in the summer or won’t be able to do in the winter. Plan Outdoor Activities Hol Hamoed Sukkot is an opportune time to play tourist and to do some educational and cultural things too! Both Brooklyn and New Jersey residents can easily get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Find out about Lady Liberty and the millions of immigrants who saw her torch as a beacon of welcome in the New York Harbor. Learn about the immigrants who set foot on U.S. land for the first time on Ellis Island, the most active immigration station. There are lots of reasonably priced or free activities practically in our own backyards. No need to travel far or follow the crowds. Remember, the key words are joyful and family. Take advantage of the mild fall weather and choose outdoor outings that get the family into nature and fresh air. After Simhat Torah, you and your kids will be spending lots of time indoors at school and at work. Fun outdoor outings include taking in the fall foliage, apple picking, family hikes, parks, rollerblading, and boat rides. Take a scenic road trip and combine a family hike with viewing the vibrant and brilliant colors of the autumn leaves. This trip jives with Sukkot, which is very much about nature, the outdoors, giving up material comforts, and enjoying the harvest. After picking apples and visiting farms, your kids can help you bake apple-based desserts and prepare fruit and vegetable salads for when you’re hosting guests. Clip & Save Why not kick off your planning with fun things that you may have a coupon for? If you live on the Jersey Shore, a wonderful resource for things to do in New Jersey is couponconnectionnj.com . Kudos to Stacey Gindi, the talented graphic designer who connected me with Joy Betesh, publisher of Coupon Connection and the Kosher Pocket Guide. Joy provides coupons, deals, things to do, and FREE EVENTS for the Jersey Shore area “connecting local savings to you!” Download valuable coupons at www.couponconnectionnj.com. Joy generously prepared the following list with a description and coupons of these fun, economical, and convenient things to do! There are new venues such as Oasis VRX in Bell Works and a wide range of choices for kids of all ages including climbing (a unique venue called Climb Zone, use the two for one coupon provided), art studios, apple picking, petting zoos, parks, escape rooms, and so much more. for Hol Hamoed Sukkot Family Fun Ideas