Residents and tenants across Jewish Care across London to the South East enjoyed celebrating Succot this week by decorating Succahs across our care homes and independent living apartments, and shaking the lulav and etrog with Rabbi Junik, Jewish Care’s spiritual and pastoral lead.

Jack and Norma Klein, who are tenants at Jewish Care’s Wohl Court, will be celebrating their wedding anniversary next week. Jack, who has been an active member of Hemel Hempstead Synagogue for many years, helps run the Friday night service at Wohl Court. He says, “Norma and I met at Jewish Care’s Michael Sobell Community four years ago. We share a sense of humour and are very happy to be together. It’s good to celebrate Succot and do the mitzvah of shaking the lulav and etrog in honour of our wedding anniversary. I enjoy Succot, but my favourite festival is Simchat Torah as it’s about sharing joy. It’s good to share that with others around us.“

Jewish Care’s Rabbi Junik, added, “It’s very special that Jack and Norma are celebrating their anniversary next week, just after Succot which is all about unity. The lulav represents different types of people and our Judaism unites all of us, no matter what our background we come from, it’s all about togetherness.”

Meanwhile David Kops who is a tenant at Jewish Care’s Shebson Lodge Independent Living apartments in Southend enjoyed sitting in the Succah and at Jewish Care’s Hyman Fine House in Brighton, residents enjoyed being in the Succah over the weekend, even in the wet weather, as the care home has a built-in indoor Succah. Annabel Pagel says, “I haven’t had a Succah at home prior to moving to Hyman Fine House so I was very interested in the decorations. I think that the built-in Succah is a great invention, especially on wet and windy days.”

(Pictured David Kops in the Succah at Jewish Care’s Shebson Lodge Independent Living apartments in Southend)