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President Isaac Herzog’s Sukkot Celebration Shifts Toward Children, Culture and Adaptive Sports
By Drooid · · How we work
Revised Sukkot Celebration at the President’s Residence
The annual public opening of the president’s sukkah in Jerusalem drew markedly fewer crowds this year. Long-standing lines of residents from the north and south that once converged before dawn were largely absent, and the event’s opening was delayed by an hour. The exhibition space was reduced, with activities confined mainly to the front of the compound while the rear area—traditionally open to the public—was cordoned off. Organizers noted that competing holiday attractions in the city also diluted attendance.
Shift in Organization and Layout
Unlike previous years, the Culture and Sport Ministry coordinated the festivities instead of the Agriculture and Innovation, Science and Technology ministries. The smaller, “bare-bones” set-up replaced the richly decorated sukkah that had featured Israel’s best flowers, fruits and vegetables. Early visitors arriving around 9:30 a.m. encountered unfinished preparations; the program only became fully operational after the president and his wife entered the venue.
Emphasis on Youth, Culture and Adaptive Sports
President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal spent up to an hour inside the sukkah, meeting children, shaking hands, posing for selfies and holding toddlers. The event was deliberately geared toward younger attendees, with a drum ensemble, storytelling sessions on colored cushions and a range of sporting activities. Notably, wheelchair-bound athletes demonstrated adaptive basketball and displayed specially designed wheelchairs, drawing particular interest from the Herzogs.
Cultural Film Displays and Election Outreach
The celebration also featured recreated scenes from classic Israeli films such as the 1935 *Zot hi Ha’aretz* and excerpts from *Eskimo Lemon* and *Kazablan*. Herzog expressed enthusiasm for showcasing Israel’s cultural diversity and said he hoped the holiday would strengthen children’s connection to national culture. He linked the gathering to the upcoming Knesset elections, indicating that the Sukkot gathering would encourage all Israelis to come together and subsequently vote in the democratic elections.