Remember when Pat Benatar and a bunch of sex workers defeated the gross, evil pimp by dancing, throwing a drink in his face, and shaking their breasts at him?
Put glass down and watch it start moving all over the table spelling ‘Use a coaster you monster.’
(Hand painted ouija board in south central Wisconsin found on Facebook Marketplace.)
This article is essentially arguing: use local plants to make an alternate lulav and etrog to celebrate our connection to nature and practice our ethical values about protecting the environment.
Conversely, one could argue that the point of the holiday is not only about celebrating our connection to the earth, but particularly to the land of Israel and a millennia old tradition of Jewish practice. (And traditionalists would say, obeying what God commanded.)
(Interestingly, the Karaites long ago abandoned the lulav and etrog, arguing that the four species were supposed to be used to build the sukkah.)
Whatever you choose to do, if anything, have a happy Sukkot! (But seriously, at least go have a picnic or something.)
No Jewish holiday is more beloved among American and Israeli environmentalists than Sukkot. With its agricultural roots and its dictum to live close to the earth, Sukkot is the sine qua non of Jewish environmentalism. Camp out under the stars in what is essentially a lean-to, eat all your meals in it, invite friends over for homemade food and singing, and hang seasonally appropriate produce from its rafters? It’s almost as if the Torah anticipated patchouli-scented, croc-wearing hippie Jews.
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