Each autumn, Jerusalem turns into one of the most stunning locations worldwide to enjoy a Jewish festival. Sukkot- the Festival of Booths takes place in this city that is already infused with thousands of years of history and spirituality. The music fills the streets, the neighborhoods are full of sukkahs, and the beat of everyday life is chanted towards a seven-day festival of happiness, faith, and thankfulness.
Anyone who is planning to celebrate Sukkot 2025 will find no better place to be than Jerusalem. The sukkahs will be observed on each balcony, on almost every court, and emerging on sidewalks, on the hotel roofs, and in restaurants. The holiday does not hide itself in small houses; it spreads through all the folds of the city.
The decision on where to stay is as important as where to celebrate. Located in the center of the city, Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem promises its guests the best of both worlds: comfort, convenience, and being submerged in all the dynamism of the traditions of Sukkot in Jerusalem.
Here is our full guide to Sukkot and Sukkot 2025 dates, the traditions you will be part of, each day’s programs, what to eat, where to go, and why Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem is your home away from home throughout this Sukkot. And you will not just learn about the festival, you will be ready to experience it by the end.
The Festival of Sukkot: A Holiday of Joy and Shelter
One of the oldest and most visual holidays in Judaism is Sukkot, which is often known as the Festival of Booths. The festival celebrates the years when the Jews lived in tent cities because they had to wander across the desert after departing Egypt due to divine protection. In commemoration of that memory, Jewish families install sukkot, or huts made of the simplest type with no less than three walls and a roof, constituting numerous branches so that they see stars inside the sukkot. Seven days are spent eating in these huts, praying in their walls, and welcoming guests in the spirit of generosity and joy.
One of the oldest and most visual holidays in Judaism is Sukkot, which is often known as the Festival of Booths. The festival celebrates the years when the Jews lived in tent cities because they had to wander across the desert after departing Egypt due to divine protection. In commemoration of that memory, Jewish families install sukkot, or huts made of the simplest type with no less than three walls and a roof, constituting numerous branches so that they see stars inside the sukkot. Seven days are spent eating in these huts, praying in their walls, and welcoming guests in the spirit of generosity and delight.
Rituals and Traditions of Sukkot
A key command of Sukkot is the taking of the Four Species: the etrog, a sweet citron; the lulav, palm leaves; the hadassim, branches of myrtle; and the aravot, branches of willow, and waving these bushes in all six directions, in token of the omnipresence of God. This ritual occurs during the prayer services on every day of the holiday and is oftentimes performed with laughter and singing.
The sukkah itself is of equal significance. Throughout the week, all meals are consumed indoors, and most individuals sleep inside the sukkah to complete the commandment of living in the sukkah. The festival welcomes guests as part and parcel of the festival; the ushpizin tradition forces a believer to invite one person from the Bible to the sukkah table every night, family friends, neighbors, and visitors. In Jerusalem and many other places, the holiday is full of hospitality, and especially it is a time when families take in strangers to visit their sukkot with food and stories.
The final days of the vacation are also special. Hoshana Rabbah is the seventh day, which is marked by special prayers that request God to protect them. Sukka is succeeded by Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, festivals which will bring the feast of the High Holiday. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah will be celebrated both the same day, October 13-14, 2025, and dancing, singing, and celebrating the Torah scrolls in synagogues across the city.
Sukkot 2025 Dates
Mark your calendars. In order to prepare a travel plan and book hotels and arrangements for sightseeing, one will have to learn the dates of Sukkot 2025.
- Erev Sukkot: Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
- First Day of Sukkot: Thursday, October 9, 2625
- Chol HaMoed: October 10-14, 2025
- Hoshanah Rabbah: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
- Shemini Atzeret: Thursday, October 16, 2025
- Simchat Torah: October 17, 2025, Friday
Why Jerusalem for Sukkot 2025?
There is hardly any place in the world with such a celebration of Sukkot as it is in Jerusalem. Here’s why:
1. Sukkot Everywhere
In Jerusalem, unlike smaller communities, the sukkah is incorporated into the urban landscape. Balcons burst into booths, pavements turn to restaurants, and cafes are competing to construct the most imaginative sukkah. It transforms the city into a vacation museum.
2. Pilgrimage Roots
Sukkot, during biblical times, was considered one of the Shalosh Regalim (Three Pilgrimage Festivals). Jews came over the earth to bring offerings into the Temple. Going to the Western Wall today upholds that tradition, being among thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
3. The Western Wall Experience
Among the most breathtaking events is the Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing), which takes place during Chol HaMoed. There are hundreds of Kohanim who put out their hands and offer prayers over the large crowd at the Western Wall, whose voices can be heard all over the plaza.
4. The Markets and Food Scene
Before and during Sukkot, Mahane Yehuda Market is even more alive. The food sellers scream with holiday messages, there are piles of fresh figs and pomegranates, lulav and etrogs stands. It is not just shopping, it is theater.
Dining in a Sukkah: A Culinary Journey
Jerusalem’s food scene shines during Sukkot. Every restaurant—from falafel stands to fine dining establishments—builds a sukkah for diners.
- Street Food in a Sukkah: Grab shawarma or sabich and eat in a casual sukkah at a corner eatery.
- Mahane Yehuda Delights: The trendy restaurants in the market have specials during the holidays, including mezze spreads or Israeli wines.
- Rooftop Dining: Luxury restaurants and hotels place sukkahs on their rooftops, with a panoramic view of the Old City. Imagine having dinner with awesome views of the Golden Dome of the Rock.
- Hotel Sukkah Meals: At Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem, you have a chance to dine at the hotel, where sukkah is festive and comfortable.
The Lulav and Etrog Market Experience
Pre-Sukkot life in Jerusalem is characterized by shopping for the Four Species. During the pre-holiday period, whole streets become temporary markets where lulav bundles and etrogim are sold. The vendors shout out prices, children follow their parents behind, and rabbis guide people on how to get the most kosher etrog. It is a very vibrant, loud, communal scene. Purchasing your lulav and etrog here means being a part of the pre-holiday celebration.
Family-Friendly Sukkot Activities
The children love Sukkot. The activities of children are everywhere in Jerusalem:
- Decorating Sukkahs: Two weeks prior, the families also spend time creating chains using pieces of paper and hanging souring fruits to their sukkahs.
- Museums & Workshops: The Israel Museum and Bloomfield Science Museum offer museum workshops to children on holidays.
- Jerusalem Biblical Zoo: A Zoo taking family tours relating animals to biblical stories.
- Jerusalem March: The procession attracts foreign crowds with flags, which children and adults find entertaining.
Families at Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem will value the fact that they are within walking distance of these events.
Preparing for Sukkot 2025
To the tourists who plan to visit Sukkot 2025, planning will get them a better visit. The temperature in Jerusalem at the beginning of October is quite pleasant with warm days and cool evenings, which is why it is necessary to pack items in several layers, especially in the case when you want to spend long nights in the sukkah. The guest must also know that the first and last days of Sukkot are taken as a festival day, during which businesses are shut down and transport is limited. The staff at Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem has been helping the visitors maneuver around these rhythms, booking their meals, organizing the events, and making them feel at home, even in a city with a holiday schedule.
The Spiritual Dimension of Sukkot 2025
In addition to the aesthetic appeal and communal festivities, Sukkot can provide immense religious insights, which are felt deeply upon visiting Jerusalem. The weak walls of the sukkah remind us of how vulnerable life is, and how we need to be humble, with an open roof making it clear that we are dependent on the heavens. The waving of the Four Species links people to the natural world, sealing off the availability of God in all directions. Sukkot 2025 is therefore not only a holiday but also a spiritual trip; it would be a time to contemplate the theme of transience, gratitude and joy.
Why Choose Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem for Sukkot 2025
When you choose to spend your Sukkot 2025 at Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem, you will spend the time in the heart of the festival. The close proximity to Jerusalem places the hotel in the middle of neighbourhoods filled with sukkot, bustling markets, and singing synagogues. Meanwhile, the hotel offers its sukkah and festive programming, so you can spend your whole holiday inside the premises as well. Visitors enjoy local advice, hospitality contacts, and the assurance that nothing will be missed. Be it a first-time visitor learning about Sukkot for the first time, or a regular visitor attending the festival over and over again, Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem presents the comfort, tradition and immersion that will help to make it a never-to-be-forgotten trip.
Conclusion
Sukkot is a holiday of contrasts: the temporary huts pitched against the timeless stone walls, the short days of celebration placed at the core of a millennia-old city. Visitors will again be welcomed into this bricolage of tradition and delight in 2025, when sukkot spread out across balconies, rooftops, courtyards, and street corners in Jerusalem. By staying at Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem, one will live right in the pace of the city and in the most celebrative season of the year. Dining beneath the boughs of the sukkah, strolling along illuminated streets, and offering to share in neighborhood parties, all these combine to form the memories that will linger even after the holiday is over. To Sukkot 2025, Jerusalem will not only be the location; it will be your sukkah, and Paamonim Hotel Jerusalem will be your home therein.
