Sukkot
Sukkot Project - Hillel CASE, Ukraine Region (2025)
Hillel CASE’s Sukkot Project included over 40 events held at universities in 6 Ukrainian cities --lectures, interactive workshops on building and decorating the sukkah, hands-on sessions about the lulav and etrog, and shared festive meals in the sukkah. The program stressed the importance of welcoming guests to the sukkah. Attendees were invited to learn, celebrate, and connect with Jewish values and Judaism in a warm and inclusive setting.
"Sharing a meal in the sukkah under the open sky was such a moving and joyful experience. I’ll never forget it." - participant
Marketing: The program was advertised through social media and posters displayed at partnering universities.
"The program’s strength lies in its dual focus: it offers high-quality educational content and also provides tangible take-home resources (guides, activity kits, and creative materials), ensuring participants carry Jewish learning and experience into their daily lives. By opening the sukkah as a welcoming space, the project builds bridges between the Jewish community and non-Jewish, interfaith, and unaffiliated families, creating meaningful connections that can inspire long-term engagement." - Tetiana Smotkin, Program Coordinator
What Worked Well
Here are some of the strategies that made the program so successful:
Combining learning with active participation: workshops on building and decorating the sukkah, shared meals, and hands-on programming helped students personalize the meaning of the holiday.
"Participants didn’t just learn about Jewish life —they experienced it." - Tetiana Smotkin, Program Coordinator
Creating a warm, informal atmosphere proved key to fostering curiousity and dialogue. One of the outcomes of the Sukkot Project was a sense of community among participants that lasted beyond the program.
"I came just out of curiosity, but left feeling connected — not only to Jewish culture, but to everyone around the table." - participant
Ideas for Increasing Future Engagement - Hillel CASE plans to try a mix of approaches to strengthen follow-up opportunities, including:
- More post-event discussions, educational workshops, and community meet-ups to sustain the relationships and learning sparked during Sukkot.
- Enhancing the existing online platform to keep the community connected.
- Partnering with other organizations to replicate the program in more settings and expand the audience.
Holiday Programming
Find ideas for advertising your program by checking out our Marketing Gallery
Check out our Marketing Gallery. NCEJ reimburses for some of the costs for graphic design and printing. Examples of promotional material we have funded recently include: print and digital ads, banners, postcards, brochures, and flyers. We encourage grantees to consider trying hyperlocal media as well as national sources.
Helpful Links and Additional Resources
We add articles and links for Jewish holidays here on our Resources page. If you would like to feature your page or program, please contact us, as we update this list throughout the year to help others with their programs.
Have a Question? Reach Out to Us
Have an idea but not sure it meets our guidelines? Please reach out to us at 301-802-4254, or contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director.