Aravah Sukkot Festival

Wilderness Torah was excited to partner with Aravah Sukkot Festival in 5785. Our deepest gratitude to you all!

In 5785, Wilderness Torah was thrilled to partner with Aravah Sukkot Festival. Building on our years of Sukkot In-Gathering Festivals, this collaboration with community lay leaders was an exciting new way to build intergenerational village, celebrate the fall harvest festival, give thanks for the abundance from the land, and pray for the return of the rains.

Festival highlights:

  • Interfaith Kabbalat Shabbat, Torah services, and alternative prayer and ritual
  • Workshops, live music, DJs, and community offerings
  • Intergenerational village, including kids’ programs and Elder Council
  • Accommodations including camping, glamping, and nearby hotels
  • Beautiful property nestled in a permaculture garden, with a swimmable pond and easy access to the Bay and Santa Rosa Airport

Ritual Water Drawing 

Each morning, we celebrated the harvest and honored the rains that make the harvest possible. We engaged in an ancient practice that celebrates Simchat Beit HaShoeivah (Rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing) connecting back to when water would be drawn for the water libation on the Temple altar.

Musical Kabbalat Shabbat

We gathered in a musical and mystical Kabbalat Shabbat experience, connecting with the magic of community and the beauty of cultivating sacred presence.

Workshops about Rain Dance & Kabbalah

Lay leaders from the Wilderness Torah community facilitated open workshops during the festival. We uncovered the ancient practice of the Sukkot rain dance ceremony, which invokes the blessing for rain in its proper time, and then explored the four spiritual worlds (olamot) of existence discussed in Jewish mysticism’s Kabbalah tradition.

Wilderness Torah Sukkah

On Sukkot we sit inside a sukkah, a temporary hut that provides shade during the day and is open to the stars at night. Spend time in the Wilderness Torah sukkah to reconnect with the natural cycles of the seasons and the impermanent nature of our lives.

Youth Programs (Ages 4-14)

Wilderness Torah helped create an atmosphere where youth find their unique place within the community. Experienced, caring mentors supported youth with an immersive experience each day.