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I am about to become an empty nester. Years ago, when the kids first started going to camp, my husband and I used to call ourselves “ENITs,” Empty Nesters in Training.

Thanksgiving used to be a day unto itself; now we have a whole Thanksgiving season! Americans' shopping habits brought us catchily-named, add-on "holidays" like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.

We pray to you
Creator of the Universe,
who causes the winds to blow
and the seas to rage…

For the weary and the heart shattered
refugees
escaping violence and bloodshed and war

I cherish the holiday of Sukkot. It beautifully encapsulates the quintessential magic of this bountiful time of year.

More than 130 adults and children spent a few days earlier this month building a communal sukkah, eating shared meals outside, singing songs and sleeping in tents under the stars.

And they did it all in Russian.

Halloween brings me a bit of stress each year. On a very basic level, I'm just not a fan of this holiday that, in recent years, seems to have become so much bigger than ever before.

On Sukkot, we celebrate the harvest.

A young man came to a rabbi for a chat.

“I’ve bought a new car” said the young man to the rabbi.

“Congratulations,” he replied.