Politicians in the succa

Jews traditionally invite the biblical leaders of the Jewish people to be the ushpizin (exalted guests)­ in their succas.

By GIL HOFFMAN
Updated: OCTOBER 2, 2017 14:44
Succot at Kotel (photo credit: BiblePlaces.com)
Succot at Kotel
(photo credit: BiblePlaces.com)
Jews traditionally invite the biblical leaders of the Jewish people to be the ushpizin – exalted guests – in their succot.
But instead of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David, Israelis are more likely to see ministers, MKs and mayoral candidates this coming holiday.
In Bayit Yehudi, Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel, Deputy Religious Services Minister Eli Ben-Dahan, and MK Zvulun Kalfa are all holding events for party activists in their succot.
Kalfa, who is an evacuee from Gush Katif, will build a succa in his new home in Shomriya.
Ariel will also be visiting the succot of Bayit Yehudi mayoral candidates across the country, including Moti Haziza in Mevaseret Zion.
Likud MK Moshe Feiglin hosts an annual succa party at the Jerusalem home of his rabbi, Uri Cherki. Many Likud MKs are expected to attend the event next Monday.
But the biggest succa party will be thrown on Sunday by Transportation Minister Israel Katz (Likud), who hosted more than 4,000 Likud activists at his ranch in Moshav Kfar Ahim last year. That event was especially large, because Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took steps to advance the general election that night.
The entire Likud faction is expected to attend Katz’s event, except for Netanyahu, with whom he has sparred recently.
Katz has used his speeches at his annual succa parties to call for death sentences for the terrorists who murdered the Fogel family in 2012, and to insult US President Barack Obama for pushing for a settlement freeze in 2010.
“I am glad that Obama called Israel the homeland of the Jewish people in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly,” Katz said at that succa party. “I am sure he knows that places like Hebron, Shiloh and Beit El are part of the homeland and that therefore we must be able to live there and build there.”