Sukkot on Shabbat: Torah Reading & Times, September 25–26, 2026

Sukkot on Shabbat in Beverly Hills

This Friday evening, September 25, 2026, the Jewish calendar carries us directly from the Days of Awe into Sukkot (סוכות), the Festival of Booths. The first day of Sukkot falls on Shabbat, Saturday, September 26, creating a beautiful meeting of weekly rest and festival joy. For Jewish families in Los Angeles, it is a weekend to step away from routine, gather beneath the sukkah’s fragile roof, and remember that true security comes from faith, gratitude, and community.

Beverly Hills / Los Angeles 90211 times:

• Friday, September 25: Light Shabbat and Yom Tov candles by 6:28 PM.
• Saturday, September 26: Shabbat ends at 7:21 PM. Second-night Yom Tov candles may be lit only after that time, from a pre-existing flame.
• Sunday, September 27: Yom Tov ends at 7:20 PM.

Times were verified for Beverly Hills ZIP code 90211 using the current Chabad candle-lighting calendar.

The Festival Torah Reading: Sukkot

Because this Shabbat is the first day of Sukkot, there is no regular weekly parasha. The Diaspora festival Torah reading is Leviticus 22:26–23:44, with a maftir from Numbers 29:12–16 and the haftarah from Zechariah 14:1–21. The reading presents the sacred rhythm of the Jewish year and concludes with the commandment to dwell in sukkot for seven days, so every generation will remember how G‑d sheltered the Children of Israel after the Exodus from Egypt.

For children, the idea can be shared simply: we leave the sturdy walls of home and eat in a temporary sukkah to remember that comfort is a blessing, not something to take for granted. The sukkah teaches us to look up, notice the sky, welcome guests, and appreciate the people gathered around our table.

A Practical Torah Lesson: Joy Does Not Require Perfection

Sukkot is called z’man simchateinu, “the season of our joy.” Yet the sukkah itself is temporary, open to wind and changing weather. That contrast offers a deeply practical lesson: Jewish joy is not postponed until everything is perfect. We create holiness inside real life—with its uncertainty, unfinished plans, and changing seasons.

This Shabbat, try choosing one small act of trust. Put away the phone during the meal. Invite someone who might otherwise be alone. Ask each person at the table to name one blessing from the past year. When joy is practiced through attention and generosity, the sukkah becomes more than a structure; it becomes a home for the soul.

Preparing a Warm Sukkot and Shabbat Table

A beautiful setting can support the atmosphere without distracting from the mitzvot. Bring meaning and color into the sukkah with Jerusalem-inspired Sukkah wall art. Protect the Four Kinds between synagogue and home with a thermal-lined lulav case, and carry the etrog respectfully in an elegant leather etrog bag.

For the meal itself, an embroidered linen challah cover adds warmth to the holiday table, while crystal pomegranate candlesticks help frame the moment of candle lighting. Prepare everything before 6:28 PM on Friday, including a long-burning candle or other pre-existing flame for Saturday night’s Yom Tov candle lighting.

A Family Conversation for the Sukkah

At the meal, ask: “What makes us feel safe even when life changes?” Younger children may answer with family, a favorite prayer, or a familiar tradition. Older children and adults can explore how faith, kindness, and community create a kind of shelter that travels with us. The question reflects the heart of the festival reading: the sukkah remembers a journey, but it also teaches us how to move forward.

May this Sukkot and Shabbat fill your home with peace, grateful hearts, meaningful Torah, and the joy of welcoming others. From all of us at Ella Judaica, Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom.

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