Passaic builds a large community sukkah in Third Ward Park

A community sukkah has been constructed at Passaic's Third Ward Park for the weeklong Jewish festival, which began on Sunday.

The project planned by and paid for by Mayor Hector Lora from his foundation did not use taxpayer dollars and was meant to be a surprise for the city's Jewish citizens for Sukkot.

Lora contacted the firm, Sukkah Outlet of Passaic, to construct the sukkah for the community after he built one in his backyard in 2020 to educate his children.

“The kids loved it,” he said, adding that "the very best of all religious and cultural holidays, the principles and values of faith and unity are universally applicable."

The hope is that learning more about each other's cultures and practices creates a greater appreciation for each other and the shared roots of many faiths, he said.

It's a sentiment appreciated by City Council President Gary Schaer, who is Jewish.

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"Mayor Lora continues to demonstrate his unmatched commitment to celebrating the diverse communities who have made Passaic their home," he said. "Through his leadership, Passaic now has perhaps the largest sukkah in the state, where every resident can participate in Sukkot festivities at no charge.”

Sukkot is a holiday that's both an agricultural festival of thanksgiving and a commemoration of the 40 years the children of Israel wandered in the desert living in temporary shelters.

An individual hut is called a sukkah and during the Jewish festival of Sukkot, it is traditional to eat and, for some, to sleep in a sukkah for seven days.

Lora said the community sukkah is a first for the city and possibly the state.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic builds large community sukkah in Third Ward Park