For more than a decade, Chasdei Naomi has been helping elderly people and Holocaust survivors across Israel celebrate Sukkot by making sure they have something many of us take for granted: a sukkah they can actually use.
Every year, hundreds of dedicated volunteers come together to help build sukkahs for people who, because of age, limited mobility, or living alone, may not be able to put one up themselves.
For a younger, healthy person, building a sukkah may seem like a simple holiday task. But for an elderly person living alone or a Holocaust survivor whose physical strength has diminished with age, assembling a sukkah can be a real challenge.
That is where our volunteers come in.
“There is a different kind of joy when you know that someone will be able to sit in a sukkah because of you,” says Aharon, a Chasdei Naomi volunteer. “The excitement and gratitude we see in the eyes of the elderly make it all worthwhile.”
Who Will Build a Sukkah for Us?
As Sukkot approaches, Chasdei Naomi volunteers visit thousands of elderly people and Holocaust survivors throughout Israel. Alongside distributing holiday food packages and providing assistance to those in need, they often hear the same concern:
“Who will build a sukkah for us?”
For many elderly people, a sukkah is much more than a structure outside their home. It is a place to celebrate the holiday, observe the mitzvah of Sukkot, and hold on to the traditions and memories that have been part of their lives for generations.
But without help, some simply cannot make it happen.
At Chasdei Naomi, we believe that age or physical limitations should never prevent someone from experiencing the joy of Sukkot.
Volunteers Make the Difference
Rabbi Moshe Cohen, CEO of Chasdei Naomi, explains:
“We began receiving requests from elderly people and Holocaust survivors who needed help building their sukkahs. After speaking with our volunteers, we decided to dedicate part of our network of more than 20,000 volunteers to this important mitzvah.
“Alongside our extensive holiday activities and food distribution, volunteers are going to the homes of elderly people and Holocaust survivors to help build their sukkahs, so they too can celebrate Sukkot and observe the mitzvah with dignity.”
Our volunteers arrive at their homes, assemble the sukkah, and make sure it is ready for the holiday. And often, they give something just as meaningful along the way: a few minutes of conversation, a warm smile, and the feeling that someone cares.
Because sometimes, helping build a sukkah is about much more than putting up walls and a roof.
It is about helping someone feel included in the joy of the holiday.
Help Make Sukkot Possible for Someone Who Needs It
Chasdei Naomi is reaching out to elderly people and Holocaust survivors who need assistance building a sukkah, as well as to volunteers who would like to take part in this meaningful mitzvah.
If you know someone who needs help, or if you would like to volunteer your time, please fill out the form below.
Together, we can help make sure that elderly people and Holocaust survivors across Israel have the opportunity to celebrate Sukkot with dignity, joy, and the mitzvah of sitting in a sukkah.
Everyone deserves to experience the holiday’s joy. CLICK HERE TO DONATE