Festivals | Tishrei

Short Games for Sukkot

Introduction

Any game or adaptation of a game using fruit or names of fruits is suitable. Games are a good way to teach the Arba' Minim, which can be used as team names.

Fruit Basket

Chaverim are seated on chairs in a circle, with one chaver standing in the center who goes round the circle giving each person the name of a fruit (e.g., apple, orange, pear, banana; apple, orange, pear, banana, etc.).

The names of the Arba' Minim can be used instead of fruit. The person in the center shouts out the name of a fruit, and the people who have been given that name must change seats.

While they are doing this, the person who was in the middle finds a seat for himself, and in so doing, leaves someone else without a chair. It is now this person's turn to call out the name of a fruit. Once you have left your seat, you may not sit down--unless it is in a different seat.

Two or three names can be called at once, and when "Fruit Basket" is called, everyone must change seats.

Pass the Etrog

Chaverim are seated in a circle.
Two Etrogim (use lemons) are passed round separately. They may be passed in different directions, but they must be PASSED to each person, and NOT THROWN.

The aim is to avoid being caught with both etrogim, and of course to try to land somebody else with them. If this happens, the person caught is out, and either folds his arms or sits back from the circle.

Sukkot (adaptation of "CAVES")

Played in groups of threes and one couple.

Two people from each group join hands to form a "Sukkah" while the third person stands inside it.

One person from the couple is told to chase the other, who when he or she gets tired or thinks s/he's about to be caught, may run into the Sukkah. When s/he does so, the person who was in that Sukkah MUST run out immediately and take her/his place. (You may not enter a Sukkah that you have just left; you must go into another one.) If a person is caught, s/he chases her/his captor.

Pass the Orange

Relay game. Teams must pass an orange, held under their chins, without using their hands.

Leafy clothes

Collect leafy branches, and see who can make the most original fancy dress out of them.

Arba' Minim

	_____________________________________________________________
	|Arava							Lulav|
        |                        /  \                                |
	|		Arava /        \ Lulav                       |
        |                   /    Sukkah  \                           |
	|		Etrog\		/ Hadass                     |
        |                      \      /                              |
	|Etrog			  \/			       Hadass|
        -------------------------------------------------------------|

The gedud is divided into four groups, each named after the Arba' Minim (four species)--Lulav (palm branch), Etrog (citron), Hadass (myrtle) and Arava (willow).

The four Kvutzot stand along each side of a square drawn in the middle of the Ma'on. Each side of the square faces a corner of the Ma'on (as in the diagram).

Suppose the madrich calls "Arava": Kvutzat Arava runs to its corner (marked on diagram), pursued by the Kvutza facing it (in diagram, Hadass). All chaverim touched are out of the game. Both Kvutzot then return to their sides of the "Sukkah." Similarly, the last chaver/a to enter the "Sukkah" is out. The Kvutza with the last chaver left wins.

Sukkot Pairs

Prepare two sets of tags. On one set are written the names of some symbols associated with Sukkot, such as Sukkah, Lulav, Etrog, etc. On the other set of tags are drawings to illustrate these terms. Corresponding couples must pair off.

The Sukkot Circle

Chaverim walk around in a circle singing appropriate songs until the madrich calls out a Hebrew expression connected with the Chag. Each expression has a numerical value; the chaverim form themselves into groups of this number, and the odd numbers are "out".

Two Days of Sukkot. (Yom Tov.)
Three Pilgrim Festivals.
Four Species.
Five Intermediate Days.

Agricultural Competitions

With a little ingenuity, agricultural games can be quite hilarious. Some examples are:
milking a baby's bottle into a cup;
ploughing--one chaver/a goes on all fours, is tied to some heavy object which s/he then drags along the ground (if indoors, cover object) while someone else guides it, the object being to plough a straight "furrow";
picking (and eating) grapes off a bunch (the quickest wins);
and eating a mangelwurzel (see who can bleat longest without taking a breath).

Bobbing Apples

Eating fruit suspended in the Sukkah or from a string without using hands. Make sure the fruit is hanging free.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

These games appeared in the "Bulletin for Madrichim", issued by Habonim, London, in 1967. We hope they will encourage you to think of some of the games you already know and adapt them to the context and fun of your Sukkot programming

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