Sukkot in Florida offers an Israeli family joy, community, and a reminder of war - opinion

An Israeli family spends Sukkot at a Florida vacation home near Disney World, balancing holiday observance with theme park visits. A conversation with 18-year-old granddaughter Eliana highlights the contrast between American teenagers and Israeli teens who have experienced wartime life, including rocket attacks, funerals, and military service. The family finds joy in the holiday and the Disney experience.

On the eve of Sukkot, Barbara Sofer and her family travel from Jerusalem to Kissimmee, Florida, for a vacation centered around Disney World. They rent a house in the Encore at Reunion resort, which accommodates Jewish holiday observance with sukkah-friendly policies and an eruv. The family builds a sukkah, orders the Four Species from a local Chabad distributor, and prepares kosher meals. The vacation includes visits to Disney parks, where seven-year-old Ye'ela enjoys meeting princesses and riding roller coasters. A conversation with 18-year-old granddaughter Eliana introduces a somber note: she observes that American teenagers her age have not experienced the wartime realities of Israeli teens, including rocket attacks, funerals, and mandatory military service. The article notes that Modi'in, the family's hometown, has suffered heavy military losses. The mood lightens during holiday meals and the Disney fireworks finale, which the children enjoy without comparing them to wartime missile interceptions.