(Information for this article was culled from material put out by Neot Kedumim as well as an incredible tour of the site with Elly Waller.)
As the holiday of Sukkot is approaching and we are all busy building our sukkot, care must be taken to ensure that our sukkah fulfills its halachic requirements. The Mishnah in Masechet Sukkah gives detailed descriptions of the requirements for constructing a kosher sukkah. Can you build a sukkah on top of a camel? How tall can a sukkah be?
A visit to the Neot Kedumim Reserve makes the Mishnayot come to life with their unique and real sukkah display. On display are over 20 different sukkot built to exemplify the discussions of the Mishnah. Next to each sukkah is the text of the Mishnah which discusses it. Kids and adults will be enthralled to walk into a sukkah so tall that you need to strain your neck to see the tops! Next to it is a small sukkah which is less than 10 tefachim high. Then there’s the double decker sukkah with two levels. Is that kosher? Or maybe only the top layer is? Is one allowed to cover his bed in the sukkah with a canopy? What about a sukkah built like a teepee? Or a circular sukkah? Can I hang a tarp over my sukkah? Is a sukkah with only two walls kosher? Can I build a sukkah on top of a tree? If I’m traveling, can I build a sukkah on my camel or boat? While younger kids will just enjoy the display, older kids and adults can use this as a springboard to learn the mishnayot in a most engaging manner!
Neot Kedumim has much more than just the sukkah display. The entire reserve is about 625 acres and displays many of the plants and vegetation described in the Tanach. It was founded in 1964 by Noga Hareuveini, the son of two famous botanists. He approached Prime Minister Ben Gurion with his proposal to create a reserve where the Tanach comes to life. Although not a religious man, Ben Gurion loved reading Tanach and granted him this area of the Ben Shemen Forest. He cultivated it with the vegetation of the Tanach and made it blossom.
As we walk through the nature reserve, we can see the Four Species growing. The various different kinds of etrog trees display the different species of etrog used by different communities. In fact, in the 1980s the Guiness Book of World Records recorded the biggest etrog in the world from Neot Kedumim! The tall towering palm trees show us where the lulav comes from. The hadassim are also fascinating! In ancient times, hadassim were used as spices. If you take a leaf from the hadas and hold it up to the light, you will notice many small dots. When you rub that leaf, it releases a fragrant oil! Along the pond, grow the aravot the “Arvei Nachal.”
Neot Kedumim is not only a place to visit on Sukkot. A walk through the park also displays the Seven Species, the Shivat Minim. One can see olive trees, pomegranates, figs and more. Of course, which species you’ll see will depend on the time of year you visit.
It’s also a great place to learn about the bread-making process. One can see tools for plowing a field (חורש) as well as a threshing floor (גורן) where one can see the threshing sled that separates the chaff from the wheat. Nearby are the millstones used to grind the wheat! Again, this makes the Tanach come to life and leads to a deeper appreciation for what daily life was like in the time of the Tanach!
Transport of water was also an important aspect of the ancient world. The Tosefta discusses the use of an Archimedes screw (כבולין) in bringing water to a mikvah (Tosefta Mikvaot 4). In Neot Kedumim, one can turn the Archimedes screw and see how it draws water!
Neot Kedumim hosts a wide variety of tours and groups. Since the war started, they have had hundreds of groups of soldiers who have come for their outdoor post-trauma programs. We are living in difficult times. This Sukkot, may we merit God’s protection and may we be enveloped with a “sukkah of Peace” for all of the Jewish people.
Hava Preil is an enthusiastic Licensed Israeli Tour Guide. She grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and holds an MA in Judaic Studies. Hava has developed and taught accredited courses in Tanach and Jewish Ethics for Naaleh/Woodmont College and Cybersem. She currently lives in Givat Ze’ev, Israel with her family. Hava can be reached at IL:054-844-1579, USA: 845-391-0438 or at [email protected] Visit her new website Home – Hava Preil Tours havapreiltours.com! Hava is also offering virtual tours of various sites in Israel- a perfect activity for your school, synagogue, or youth group!
