Building a Safe Sukkah

By: Anessa Cohen

I remember years ago putting up a sukkah before Sukkot and being so proud that we finished it and had everything ready several days in advance. Little did I realize that the day before Sukkot that year, we would get a hurricane warning for high winds and rain coming through with emergency warnings telling everyone to tie down everything that could fly around the yard in preparation for the storm.

We could not figure out how to tie down a sukkah and keep the walls and schach from flying around if the winds reached 60-75 mph, so out we went and took down the entire sukkah, tied all the walls together, weighed them down, and took the schach, decorations, lights (yes, I had even set up the lights in advance as well as everything else), tables, chairs, and decorations back to the garage where they would be safe.

That evening the hurricane veered off course and we did not even get so much as a drop of rain or wind! The next morning (erev yom tov), we got up early and rushed to bring everything back outside to re-erect the sukkah with all the other stuff we had brought inside: the schach, tables, chairs, lights, and decorations.  Definitely not a fun day, and to say that I was exhausted when we were finished is putting it mildly! Lucky I was young!

Even without the worry of a storm or hurricane approaching, putting up a sukkah should take a little more thought than just throwing something together like they did way back in the midbar. Back then, they did not have to worry about hurricanes or storms, probably the worst-case scenario was a sandstorm which, given that they were protected by the Ananei HaKavod, they probably didn’t have to worry about that either.

Just as you take time to plan and decide what kind of sukkah you want and how you will build it, also take some time to think about how to achieve this in the safest manner possible. Remember that once it is up, you will be sitting in it for eight days and you want it to stay sturdy and safe for everyone who will be using it.

Whatever lighting you are installing, make sure it is attached safely and rated for outdoor use. Also make sure that when you install it, you do so in a manner that is far away from inflammables so that nothing can overheat and catch fire.

Make sure all extension cords you are using are rated for outdoor use. Utilizing indoor extension cords can cause you a short or in worst case scenario, a fire, if it is not meant for outdoor use.

When building your sukkah, remember to use materials that are waterproof or at least water resistant as well as sturdy and pretty. You are going to have this sukkah up for a minimum of eight days and the weather may not be balmy and sunny.

Stringing up a couple of sheets balanced by a few pieces of wood tied together is really not the way to go unless it is for a backyard overnight for a few hours! If you’re thinking of going this route, maybe you should reconsider. I once had a neighbor years ago who used to do things this way, and everyone would hold their breath passing his house each day, wondering how long it would hold up. Usually by the second day it was starting to fall apart and by the fourth day he was eating by himself in the only corner left standing. I cannot imagine that this is a fun way to go through yom tov.

You should practice the same safety rules when planning which schach you will use and what you will use to brace it on the top of your sukkah.

If you are using the schach mats, make sure the lumber or poles you are using underneath to hold them in place are solidly attached to the rest of the sukkah before unrolling the mats on top.

The same holds true if you’re using bamboo. Make sure whatever bracing you are using for the bamboo to rest upon is solid and spaced properly so the bamboo sits firmly on top and is solid and cannot fall.

When the brace of whatever you’re using to hold the schach is not secured properly, you could find yourself sitting in the sukkah with everything coming down on your head, and aside from probably ruining whatever food you’re eating, this will not be a happy experience!

Making sure your sukkah is safe as well as inviting will create a much more enjoyable yom tov experience for you and your family and guests that you may be entertaining over the chag.

And lastly, Chag Sameach! 

Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a Licensed Real Estate Broker (Anessa V Cohen Realty) with over 20 years of experience offering residential, commercial and management real estate services. Please visit her AVCRealty.com. She can be reached at 516-569-5007 and encourages readers to send any questions or comments by email to [email protected].