Jews are celebrating Sukkot, a 7-day holiday intended as a time of joy

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Sukkot, a weeklong Jewish holiday celebrating the traditional gathering of the harvest, started at sundown Monday, Oct. 6, and continues through Monday, Oct. 13.

Sukkot is considered one of the most joyful festivals on the Jewish calendar — distinctive in that it explicitly encourages Jews to rejoice and discourages public mourning.

Descriptions of these holy days are available here from two of the major branches of U.S. Judaism:

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The Hasidic organization Chabad-Lubavitch

The Union of Reform Judaism

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This year, the first full day of Sukkot fell on Oct. 7 — the second anniversary of Hamas’ 2023 attack on southern Israel that left more than 1,200 people dead and 251 others taken hostage.

Believing that public mourning is prohibited by Jewish law during Sukkot, a coalition of Jewish leaders and activists in New York City organized what they called a Circle of Unity, inviting people to gather on the Great Lawn in Central Park for “dancing, praying, and celebrating Jewish life and resilience together.”

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.