Sukkot 2026: What the sukkah and Four Species teach us about Israeli unity

Rabbi David Stav uses the Sukkot mitzvahs of the sukkah and the Four Species as a metaphor for Israeli society, arguing that while spirituality is individual, national institutions must be shared. He warns against creating separate 'sukkot' for each group ahead of a divisive election, urging unity and acceptance of diversity within the Jewish family.

Rabbi David Stav, in an opinion piece for The Jerusalem Post, uses the Sukkot mitzvahs of the sukkah and the Four Species as a metaphor for Israeli society. He explains that the Four Species must be personally owned, symbolizing individual spirituality, while the sukkah is communal, representing shared national institutions. Stav warns that Israel cannot survive with separate 'sukkot' for each group, ahead of a critical and divisive election following three years of war and a social crisis over judicial reform. He urges readers to remember that all Israelis belong to one Jewish family and to set aside the fear that one side intends to destroy the other. The piece cites a Tzohar study on haredi-secular tensions but does not provide specific figures. The framing relies on a religious metaphor to advocate for national unity, without engaging with specific policy differences.