With Yom Kippur, the day of repentance, upon us, the Jews of Jerusalem has atonement on the mind. But the entertainment and cultural offerings continue, while Sukkot, and its all-around festive atmosphere, is just a few days away.
- Tonight, get in one last shot at forgiveness at Safra Square, as the municipal government hosts an Adon Haslichot concert, pulling out all the stops with the Andalusian Orchestra, dramatizations, liturgists and other vocal talent.
- On Friday morning, the controversial Jewish custom of atoning for one’s sins by waving a chicken above one’s head and then having it slaughtered (and given to the poor to eat) will be in action at Shuk Machane Yehuda for the last time this year. By the time the sun sets, the city will be shut down for the highest of holy days, and nary a moving vehicle will be seen until sundown on Saturday, offering a uniquely peaceful reprieve even if you won’t be spending the holiday praying.
- Out with the old and in with the new. The schedule of Jewish holidays doesn’t offer much time to gear up for Sukkot, and so by Sunday, Jerusalem will already be in full tabernacle battle mode (not unlike the Beit Avi Chai-hosted annual contest), with palm fronds a flying, citrons a buying and booths a building. Start the day with a trip to Machane Yehuda for its famed Four Species Market, and then round off your evening with a trip to Beit Shmuel for a musical revue of the life and times of Edith Piaf.
- Though Jewish tradition holds that the gates of forgiveness close as the sun sets on Yom Kippur, the sages tell us that God offers a little bit overtime to get in a few last good deeds before sealing the book. Lucky for you, you can have a good time and score some extra points with the Man upstairs by attending a benefit concert Monday by pianist Shoshana Cohen with proceeds going to the Tishkofet non-profit.
We’ll be publishing a special Sukkot-themed event roundup early next week, so keep your eyes on GoJerusalem.com’s pages for our commendations on how to spend the holiday. Until then, please do check out our full events section for everything happening around town. It’s even browsable by date.
