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Welcoming Guests: Ushpizin / Ushpizot

A gathering of people sitting in a decorated tent with hanging leaves and fruits, engaged in conversation.

Sukkot is associated with hospitality. We welcome guests into our sukkah; we appreciate the beauty of our friends’ sukkot and the meals they serve us there. We also invite ushpizin—imaginary honored guests, traditionally in the form of iconic male biblical characters. We suggest expanding your guest list to include women, portrayals of Jewish heroes, or people who have taught you lessons about hospitality.

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group of people decorating a sukkah
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three people building sukkah

Bringing mindfulness to the act of welcoming guests through a chant and series of ritual intentions

a person is setting a table

Welcoming historical and mythical ancestors

People preparing food under a leafy canopy, with snacks on a table and a person hanging decorations.

Mystical sukkah guests

A father lifts his child to reach colorful decorations inside a bamboo-roofed sukkah.

“I struggle this year to choose who to invite”

Woman holding a lulav and etrog in a decorated sukkah, wearing a colorful headscarf.

“We don’t invite guests into the sukkah to be polite”

Person hanging colorful paper chains on a wooden structure, surrounded by palm branches.
Person holding a lulav and etrog in a decorated sukkah.

In this place, any one of us can be.

Father holding child under a decorated sukkah roof, with colorful ornaments hanging and sunlight filtering through.

The Reconstructionist Network

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