for immediate release

Sukkah Celebrates Harvest Holiday

Chicago Botanic Garden, October 3 through 8

Media Only:
Julie McCaffrey
(847) 835-8213, direct
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

GLENCOE, Ill. (Sept. 1, 2009)—In honor of the Jewish harvest holiday Sukkot, the Chicago North Shore Section of the National Council of Jewish Women will create their annual sukkah display in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, on view from Saturday, October 3, through Thursday, October 8. Families are invited to take part in arts and crafts activities, which will adorn the sukkah, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 4.

Sukkot or “The Festival of Booths,” celebrates the end of the harvest and the days when the Hebrews dwelt in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. During the festival, a sukkah (a branch-covered booth) is often erected and decorated with fall fruits and vegetables including dried corn, squash and gourds. It is common practice for Jewish families to eat and even live in this temporary dwelling during the seven-day festival. Another tradition is to wave the etrog (a lemon-like fruit) and the lulav (a long, palm-like branch made of myrtle, palm and willow).

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who, inspired by Jewish values, strive for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. The Chicago North Shore Section focuses on advocacy and community service projects in our communities, including sponsoring the annual Sukkot and Tu B'shevat family programs at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Visit www.ncjwcns.org for more information. For more information on the sukkah or to volunteer, call (847) 853-8889 or email programs@ncjwcns.org.

Admission to this event is free. Parking is $20; free for Garden members. For information on events at the Chicago Botanic Garden, visit www.chicagobotanic.org.

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Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden's newsroom is online at www.chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden's Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.