Sukkot is one of the three holidays on which Jews from all over the land of Israel would make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem. One of the most important things to make sure is that you have the four species and that they are all kosher. The four species, Arba’at Haminim, consist of the Lulav, Hadass, Aravah and Etrog. The waving of the species is a commandment from the Torah. Many people like to purchase etrog and lulav sets. Additionally, there are beautiful etrog boxes.  Etrog boxes can be made of silver, wood and more.


Popular holiday gifts include Jewish jewelry, Judaica of different types, and, of course, Rosh Hashanah cards. Some cards incorporate general themes from Judaism, such as Star of David or the Menorah, while others embrace themes relevant specifically to Rosh Hashanah. For example, many cards show a picture of a man blowing a Shofar, with the Western Wall behind him.  Another popular motif is the apple in honey. Some even combine the two by showing a red juicy apple blowing a Shofar!


When you visit a Judaica store you may find that Shofars come in many shapes. One of the reasons for this is that different traditions have adopted different types of Shofars. For example, a typical Yemenite Shofar is more convoluted yet in a straight line, while the traditional Shofar is rather hoof-shaped, with one end much wider than the other. On the narrow end of the Shofar a hole is punctured to allow the Shofar to be blown.