Every day of Chol HaMoed Sukkot, countless people come to the festive sukkos of the Jewish Community of Dnipro to fulfill the most important mitzvos of the holiday and to take part in a special program dedicated to the blessed memory of the eminent rabbi and public figure, one of the leaders of the Lubavitch movement, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Kotlarsky, carried out on the initiative of his son, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kotlarsky, director of “Merkos 302” and the International Conference of Shluchim of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, with sponsorship in honor of Ruvin ben Golda. The Sukkot events in Dnipro also take place thanks to the many years of generous support of the renowned philanthropist and esteemed member of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, Reb Natan Zolotarevsky, and his family.
One of the main venues for the program has been the large sukkah in the courtyard of the Central “Golden Rose” Synagogue. Throughout the day, special mivtzah posts operate here continuously, where young community activists help everyone who wishes to correctly fulfill the mitzvah of “netilas lulav” – the mitzvah of the four species of plants. Thanks to this, every Jew who comes to the synagogue on these days can fulfill one of the most important mitzvos of Sukkot in full accordance with Jewish tradition.
After fulfilling the mitzvah of “netilas lulav,” each participant receives a special voucher for a festive treat in the sukkah and, while in the booth, can taste delicious kosher food, thereby fulfilling another most important mitzvah of the holiday – “leishev ba-sukkah” – dwelling in the sukkah. Thus, the program gives every person the opportunity not only to learn about the mitzvos of Sukkos but also to practically fulfill them, feeling the joy of the holiday and the care of the community.
But life in the festive sukkos of the Jewish Community of Dnipro is not limited to the fulfillment of individual mitzvos. On the days of Chol HaMoed, the sukkos become true centers of fellowship: friends and acquaintances meet here, converse, sing Jewish songs, share the joy of the holiday, and feel the special power of achdus – true Jewish unity. The sukkos host gatherings of participants in the numerous educational, youth, charitable, and social programs of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, and many organizations and projects of the community hold their own special festive events here.
Therefore, throughout Chol HaMoed, vibrant festive life is in full swing in the sukkos. People of different generations and with different levels of involvement in Jewish life find themselves side by side, fulfill mitzvos together, socialize, and rejoice in Sukkot. For some, visiting the sukkah becomes a continuation of their everyday life in the community; for others, it is an opportunity to once again touch Jewish tradition, feel a connection to their people, and become part of a great Jewish family.
The special program operates not only at the Central “Golden Rose” Synagogue but also at other festive sukkos of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, thanks to which thousands of Jews of the city have the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvos of Sukkot and share the joy of the holiday.
“It is very important to us that every Jew of Dnipro have the opportunity to fulfill the most important mitzvos of Sukkot and feel the special joy of this holiday,” noted Rabbi Reuven Kaminezki. “We are deeply grateful to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kotlarsky for this special program dedicated to the blessed memory of his wonderful father, the eminent rabbi and great friend of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Kotlarsky,as well as to Reb Natan Zolotarevsky and his family for their many years of care and generous support of the celebration of Sukkot, thanks to which the Jews of our city can together fulfill the mitzvos of this joyful holiday, be close to one another, and feel the love and care of the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”за цю особливу програму, присвячену світлій пам’яті його чудового батька, видатного рабина і великого друга Єврейської громади Дніпра рабби
