Preparing for a holiday is every much a sacred ritual as the rites we perform on the holiday itself.

How can we perform the mitzvot in the Sukkah, if we do not build and decorate it? What would Chanukah be without the cooking of latkes? In earlier years, the sound of the chopping bowl, in which gefilte fish was prepared, signalled Pesach. All of the preparations, however lowly, are holy work.

As children we awaken spiritually to the baking of hammentashen, the searching for hametz, the cutting of apples with parents and grandparents, friends and siblings. As we grow to understand and perform the "adult" rituals, sharing these primal memories with a new generation enriches our experience of each holiday.

Every member of Eitz Or is invited to participate in the ritual of preparation for our community's holiday celebrations.  Look for a sign-up sheet, respond to an e-mail, or contact a member of the Shomerim to join in  organizing, setting up, or other preparations for our next holiday. 

Every member's contribution, however large or small, helps create the mishkan, or sacred vessel, for our joyful observances.