It is the start of Fall, which, on the Jewish calendar, also means the Fall holiday of Sukkot. A professional colleague recently sent me an email about an article I wrote in 2014 about building a sukkah with my son. 12 years later, I thought I would once again share the article as a reminder that the journey to the destination is what gives life meaning and fulfillment.
Building a Sukkah and Creating Lasting Family Memories, by Jerold E. Rothkoff
For the past several years, including this year, my family and I have built a Sukkah in our backyard to commemorate the fragile dwellings in which the ancient Jews dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after the exodus from slavery in Egypt. A sukkah is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long festival of Sukkot. It is topped with branches and decorated with autumnal, harvest, or Jewish themes. We eat our meals in the Sukkah during the seven days of Sukkot.
Having a sukkah in your home is an important Jewish custom, but the process of building the Sukkah is, to me, the most valuable experience. My nine-year-old son, Gregory, loves to build. He helps me with putting up the Sukkah’s walls and roof. Our three other children (not including baby Aitan) assist with decorating and adding lighting. Yes, building the Sukkah can teach important lessons about Jewish heritage and history. However, the process of building can create family bonds and memories that last a lifetime. My wife and I receive great joy watching our children work together to decorate the Sukkah.
This concept certainly does not just apply to Jewish customs. For example, I am sure that choosing a Christmas tree and decorating the tree can generate equally lasting memories.
When clients and their children come to our office, we attempt to learn about them from more than just what their estate planning documents, bank accounts, or current health status tell us. It is the life experiences to date, built on family customs, that really show who this person sitting across from us truly is. Although their current destination is what they or their family is in our office to talk about, I try to elicit some information about their journey to their current destination.
The journey to a destination is where the learning and lasting memories are created. Whether it is building and decorating a sukkah with your family, choosing and decorating a Christmas tree, or the journey called life, memories can be created that will have a positive impact upon all who are part of the journey.
