The Season of Our Rejoicing

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How time flies! It’s Sukkot again. And why should I be surprised? We just celebrated the High Holidays. Turn, Turn, Turn…the seasons come and go.

While Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur reading for both adults and kids has a decidedly solemn bent, there’s mostly pure joy in the Sukkot and Simhat Torah books.

We rejoice in the bounty of the land and the natural beauty of the land and sky; we revel in the holy words of the Torah.

What follows are some great stories with diverse settings to share as a family or for a child to read alone. They can all be found in the holiday section along with many other books.

And don’t miss the bonus recipe at the end of the list.

Axe-Bronk, The Vanishing Gourd: a Sukkot mystery
Cohen, Engineer Ari and the Sukkah Express (pre-State Palestine)
Hyde, Shanghai Sukkah (China)
Kohuth, Who’s Got the Etrog? (Uganda)
Nambi, The Very Best Sukkah (Uganda)
Olitzky, An Etrog from Across the Sea (colonial America)
Packer, Sky-high Sukkah (U.S.)
Polacco, Tikvah Means Hope (California)
Rael, When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street (U.S. 1930s)
Steinberg, The Best Sukkot Pumpkin (contemporary U.S.)
Tarcov, Maya Prays for Rain (Contemporary U.S.)

Bonus Recipe: Braised Leeks with Thyme and Pomegranate (serves 6)

This Sephardic side dish is very easy to prepare. While the leeks braise in the oven, there’s time to make the rest of dinner.

Ingredients
6 medium leeks, white and light green parts only
15 small sprigs of fresh thyme
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of dry white wine (or substitute wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice (or to taste)
1 orange sliced in half moons. (optional)
kosher salt
1/4-1/2 cup (arils) pomegranate seeds, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Cut leeks in half lengthwise and wash to remove any grit.
  3. Arrange the leek halves cut-side down in a snug single layer in a shallow baking dish, probably about 8 x 8.
  4. Nestle the thyme and orange slices among the leeks.
  5. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, wine and pomegranate juice and drizzle over the leeks. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  6. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
  7. Braise the leeks in the oven until completely tender and easy to piece with a fork., about 45 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue to braise until the leeks are caramelized, about 15 more minutes.
  8. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  9. When ready to serve, spread the fresh pomegranate seeds (arils) over the leeks.

NOTES:

  1. Arils are available already removed from the pomegranate.
  2. Make a pomegranate relish to top the cooked leeks: Mix 1/2 cup of pomegranate arils, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon honey, agave or maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger. Sprinkle over cooked leeks.
  3. Keep your eyes on the leeks during the last few minutes of braising. They should be browned, not burnt.
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