As September nears, Jewish families across the world and in New Jersey prepare to celebrate the popular holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Family members, friends and other loved ones celebrate the Jewish holidays with conversation, food, and prayer, all depending on their backgrounds and traditions. No matter how individual families choose to recognize the occasion, at the center of the Jewish holiday experience for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot sits the home, which welcomes guests into a warm and memorable annual celebration. The centrality of the home for the Jewish holidays brings a big focus on how to prepare a house for the special occasions.
Occurring between Labor Day and Columbus Day, Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which marks the change in year number on the Jewish calendar. Lasting for one or two days depending on one’s branch of Judaism, the New Year also prepares celebrants for the observance of the more solemn Yom Kippur, or day of atonement, yet to come on the ninth day after the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Sukkot, or the festival of booths, follows on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and lasts for seven days, where many participants build temporary shelters in their yard and eat meals in the sukkah.
Like all religious holidays, participants take time off work and spend hours in their place of worship, in this case the synagogue, and they also open their homes to visits from family members and friends. Eating, fasting, resting, and enjoying the company are central to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, which puts a premium on the condition of one’s house as a meeting place. So where should a host begin, besides cleaning the kitchen and putting the dining room in order?
Believe it or not, those selling a home at the same time as the holidays are well on their way to making a good holiday presentation. In fact, the preparations required for sale closely match the way many hosts choose to prepare their homes for the special occasions of the Jewish holidays. A number of the same tips apply, especially the rule about “curb appeal,” or keeping the front of the home clean for a positive first impression. Remember to rake any leaves that may fall by that time in September or October, and try to keep clutter to a minimum, especially for the safety and comfort of any children, older adults or those with physical disabilities who may visit. Another quick tips involves asking whether any guests have pet allergies, and if so, figuring out how to handle their visit with the animals. Regardless, it always helps to keep pet odors and loose hair to a minimum to ensure a pleasant experience for holiday guests.
With major Jewish holidays around the corner, the focus turns to the home, a central place of celebration during Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Much of the advice provided to home sellers applies to those preparing a home for the holidays, where first impressions, cleanliness and the avoidance of clutter help to reduce the inevitable stresses of the celebration. One thing that potential buyers and holiday guests appreciate in common is the feeling of being welcomed into a home tended with love.