Sukkot is one of Judaism’s most communal holidays: a week spent gathering in the sukkah, welcoming guests, and sharing meals under the open sky. The Sukkah Foundation, a new national charitable initiative, launched to make sure no Jewish family, school, or congregation has to sit it out for lack of a sukkah. The Foundation provides free, durable sukkahs—along with holiday care packages of prayer resources, decorations, and educational materials—to those who cannot afford one, and invites the wider Jewish community to help fund the effort.
The Foundation grew out of The Sukkah Project, the family-run workshop that has helped thousands of families, schools, and synagogues build their sukkahs over the past three decades. Founded three decades ago by Steve and Judith Herman to serve their own local Jewish community. Now, in its 30th year, the family is returning to where it started: making the holiday accessible to everyone.
“Sukkot is about shelter, hospitality, and joy—and it’s meant to be shared,” said Abram Herman, the Foundation’s founder and executive director, who also owns The Sukkah Project. “Every year we hear from families who want nothing more than to build a sukkah with their kids and simply can’t. A sukkah shouldn’t be a luxury. We started the Foundation so cost is never the reason a family, a classroom, or a congregation sits out during our most joyous holiday.”
In its first year, the Foundation aims to put sukkahs in the hands of 40 to 50 families nationwide for Sukkot 2026 (5787), which begins the evening of Sept. 25 (15 Tishrei). Each family receives a complete sukkah built to last for years, shipped to their door in September, along with a care package designed to help them build their own traditions—first-time celebrants included. From there, the Foundation plans to extend the same support to the religious schools, synagogues, and community organizations where so much of Jewish life takes root.
The Foundation is inviting the community to help build this first year. A gift of $720 sponsors a complete sukkah for one family; gifts of any size combine to reach more families. Every sukkah delivered is made possible by donors who believe Sukkot should belong to everyone. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made at sukkahfoundation.org.
Families in need can apply now through the end of July at sukkahfoundation.org. The application is brief and confidential, and families are chosen with dignity and privacy as guiding principles. Rabbis, Jewish educators, and social service professionals are encouraged to share it with families who could benefit.
The Sukkah Foundation is a fiscally sponsored project of UpStart, a national 501(c)(3) public charity that supports Jewish innovation.
