Talk given on October 11, 2025. During Sukkot, when we build temporary shelters, we reflect on what it means to not have stable housing.

Sukkot offers us the opportunity to perform a mitzvah, by gathering to spend a few hours with guests under the shelter of a thatched roof, sharing a meal. Rabbi Julie asked me to speak during this holiday about Shomrei’s participation in a group called Essex Together, a collaboration of houses of worship focusing on social issues, including the meaning of shelter and the hardships faced by those who lack the security of a roof over their heads. (more…)